
Book 



■ P-.g--?.?^ 



HISTORY OF BRADFORD, MASS., 



THE EARLIEST PERIOD 



TO THE CLOSE OF 1820, 



BY 



GARDNER B. PERRY, A. M. 

I 

(As contained in liis Historical Sermon delivered Dec. ■8^ 1820.) 




Hateruill, Mass : 

C. C. MORSE & SON, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS. 
1873. 






^^ 



Most of the facts contained in this discourse have been gathered by per- 
sonal enquiry. It is not improbable there may be a trifling inaccuracy in 
some of the dates, though I can hardly think after all that has been done 
to get to the truth, there will be found many very important errors on this 
subject. But as the memories of men are not always to be depended upon, 
it may be proper to observe, I have endeavored to state the truth, and be- 
lieve I have taken proper pains to ascertain it. With these observations, 
I now commit the discourse to my beloved people, for whose entertainment 
it was at first written, with my best wishes for their temporal and spirit- 
ual welfare. THE AUTHOR. 






DISCOURSE. 



2 KINGS XX. 20. 

And the rest op the acts of hezekiah, and all his might, and 
HOW he madk a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into 

THE city, are they NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OB THE CHR0NICLE3 
OF THE KINGS OF JUDAH ? 

X HE countenance afforded in this and many other pas- 
sages of scripture, to the habit of recording what men do, 
and the improvements they make in the various business 
of life, will be my support in calling your attention this 
day to some of the events connected with the history of 
this town. 

It is well knoAvn to you, that two hundred years have 
now rolled away, since the first settlement was made in 
Plymouth by a company of men, whose object, as ex- 
pressed by themselves, was " to walk in all the ways of 
God made known or to be made known to them, accord- 
ing to their best endeavours." This prepared the way 
for others to come ; and in the year 1628, the proprietors 
of that section of this country, which constitutes tlie great- 
er part of this commonwealth, sent over Mr. Endicotte 
with about a hundred planters, who arrived at the place 
now called Salem, the 6th of September the same year, 
and laid the foundation of that town. The next summer, 
this new Colony received an accession of above three 
hundred planters more, and with them, two eminent di- 
vines, Mr. Francis Higgiuson and Samuel Skeltou. Soon 



after their arrival, that is, on the 6th of August, the per- 
sons proposing to unite in church rehition, gave their 
public assent to a confession of faith, and then solemnly 
convenanted with God and each other, to walk in the or- 
dinances of Christ. Messrs. Higginson and Skelton 
were then set apart as ministers of said church, the former 
as teaclier, the latter as pastor, at which solemnity the 
church at Plymouth assisted by their delegate. This was 
the first church fully organized in New England ; that 
at Plymouth, the onl}^ one of an earlier date, had not a 
regular pastor till after this. On the 30th of Jul}^, 1636, 
Governor Winthrop, Lieutenant Governor Dudley, Mr. 
Johnson and Mr. Wilson, entered into a formal and solemn 
covenant of faith and practice, according to the gospel and 
laid the foundation of the first church in Charlestown, 
where on the 27th of August following, Mr. Wilson was 
ordained pastor, which was the first ordination in this 
state. In March, 1633, John Winthrop, son of the gov- 
ernor, with twelve men began a plantation at what is now 
called Ipswich, the next year a church was formed, and in 
April, the people being without a minister, the governor 
walked there on foot from Boston, spent the sabbath and 
exercised himself by way of Prophesying^ that is in public 
teaching and exhortation. In 1634, Nathaniel Ward, from 
England, became their minister, and on the 20th of Feb- 
ruary, 1639, Mr. Nathaniel Rogers was settled in the same 
place as colleague with Mr. Norton, who succeeded Mr. 
Ward, and it was this last circumstance which led to the 
settlement of Rowle}^ of which this town formerly consti- 
tuted a part ; for when INIr. Ezckiel Rogers, with about 
sixty industrious families came from Yorkshire, in England, 
to this country, he was influenced in his choice of a place 
of settlement, by a desire of being near and enjoying the 
company of Nathaniel Rogers, who we have mentioned 
as settled in Ipswich. Mr. Rogers arrived in this coun- 
try in the fall of 1628. He called the place of his settle- 
ment Rowley, after the place where he had formerly 
served in the gospel of Christ. As many of your auces- 



tors sat under his ministry, you will feel a special interest 
in him when you attend to a short account of his life. He 
was a man of considerable note, as is evident from his 
preaching the election sermon in 1643, only about four 
years after his arrival. He was abundant in his labours, 
and for several of the first years of his ministry enjoyed 
much peace and comfort with his people, saw the work of 
God flourish and grow among them. But after the settle- 
ment of a colleague, which happened about ten or twelve 
years after his arrival in this country, and which seemed to 
be necessary from the numerous calls he had to attend to, 
there arose jealousies and contentions among his people, 
which rendered the remainder of his life unhappy. He 
experienced also domestic affliction, buried two wives, all 
his children, and had his house and most of his papers 
burned on the night following his third marriage. This 
last circumstance renders our information concerning the 
early history of this town less perfect than it would other- 
wise have been. He lost also the use of his right arm by 
a fall from his horse, and was obliged, late in life, to learn 
to write with his left hand. But he seems, throuGfh the 
grace of God, to have been generally patient and submis- 
sive under these manifold tribulations, and to adopt what 
I suppose was his own expi'ession on the subject, ' to have 
believed and expected after having made the voyage of tliis 
life over a troubled sea, he should reach the haven of ever- 
lasting rest.' His last sickness was of a lingering nature, 
which he boie with christian patience, and died January 
22, 16G8, aged 70. He left his property, which was consid- 
erable, to tlio town of Rowley, for the support of the gos- 
pel. His will, which I have seen, is still in good preser- 
vation.* 

Many of the inhabitants who came with INIr. Rogers, 
were weavers ; and soon after their arrival in tiiis country 
they set up a falling mill, em|)loyed their children in spin- 

* A part of this propert3\ in cun?equcnce of the towns not havin;^ com- 
plied with a oouditioa contained in the Will, has lullen tuLiarvard College. 



6 

ning cotton, and were the first who manufactured cloth in 
North America. 

Just at what time this part of the town was settled I 
have not been able to ascertain. It was not however long 
after the first settlement in Rowley, and as it appears by 
some of the younger families who came to that place. 
The first house built in the town, was on the north of the 
road leading to Haverhill, and about 40 rods above Mr. 
Francis Kimball's, where the cellar may yet be seen. It 
was owned by a Mr. Jackson, whose christian name was 
probably "William . 

The first meeting for town affairs on record, was held 
the 20th of February, 1668. The name then given to 
this town was Merrimack. It was afterwards called Row- 
ley Village. At a meeting held January 7, 1672, the vote 
passed to call the town Bradford, and the town was incor- 
porated by this name in 1673. But though as we have 
said the first meeting on record was in 1668, it does not 
appear that this was, by any means, tho first time the peo- 
ple on this river, met by themselves in town affairs, for at 
that time they had a meeting house erected and also a 
parsonage. Many circumstances render it probable that 
almost from the first settlement, though connected with 
Rowle}^ and acting with them in many common concerns, 
yet living at such a distance, they held town meetings, 
among themselves, chose their own officers, and managed 
all those concerns which did not interfere with the in- 
terest of the other settlement in town, according to their 
own discretion. And among the circumstances which 
renders this opinion plausible, is that liradford and Box- 
ford, though making but one town with Rowley, were 
not within the first patent granted to Mr. Rogers, but 
were tiie next year granted to him and to Mr. John Phil- 
lips, at the very earnest requestof Mr. Rogers. 

Bradford is al)out 8 miles Ifjng and 3 wide, and contains 
about 10,000 acres, and 1650 inhabitants. 

The soil is generally good and sufficiently various for 



the cultivation of most productions common to this lati- 
tude. The town is bounded on one side its whole length 
by the Merrimack, a most beautiful river, whose waters 
afford considerable quantities of salmon, shad, bass, stur- 
geon, alewives and a variety of other fish. And in the 
spring there is a vast number of seines employed in taking 
these inhabitants of the flood. The salmon caught here 
are esteem-ed the best of any taken in the waters of the 
northern states, and often fetch from 75 to 100 cents a 
pound in the market at Boston. Th*? quantity of fish is at 
present much less than formerly. To an admirer of the 
works and ways of God, hardly any thiug can be more in- 
teresting than what is called the run of eels in this river. 
This generally takes place between the two run of shad. 
They go up the river the beginning of May, in a ribl)aiid 
or stream of about a foot wide upon the average, and three 
or four inches in depth, and every year in the same course. 
They are from two to six inches in length, move with con- 
siderable velocity, and continue to pass along without 
interruption for about four days ; almost an inconceivable 
number must pass during this time ; they are from the salt 
water, but how far they go up or what becomes of them 
I have not yet learned. 

And now when upon the subject of the river, I think 
it proper to observe, that though in various Avays this 
town in common wath others upon its brinks, derive great 
advantages from this noble stream, it is obvious to any 
person who will take the trouble to reflect upon the sub- 
ject, tliat these advantages are much less than they niiglit, 
indeed ought to be. I will mention among other things, 
that while there is not probabl}' a more convenient place 
in the county of Essex for the lumber trade, nor one where, 
from local circumstances enterprise and industry in that 
business, would with more certainty be crowned with suc- 
cess than is afforded upon its banks in this parish ; yet it 
is a fact, that for the want of such an establishment, the 
people, even in this town, to say nothing of Boxford, 



8 

Rowley, West Newbury, Andover, &c. are often put to 
inconvenience for articles of this description. And the 
same observation may be extended to the heavy articles 
of foreign merchandize, such as salt, molasses, sugar, iron, 
&c. It would be easy to refer to other particulars. But 
it is hoped this observation will draw the attention of some 
enterprising person of our town, or of some other place, 
to the subject. 

The principal business done in this town, for many 
years after its settlement, was the cultivation of the land. 
And from the productive nature of the soil, the inhabi- 
tants had much encouragement to do this. ]\Iany of them 
set out large orchards, some of the trees in which grew 
to a great size. Several are spoken of and remembered, 
which in bearing years, yielded apples from which six and 
seven barrels of cider were made, and a few from eight to 
ten barrels. One of the largest of these was on land now 
owned by Mr. Jonathan Balch, a grandson of the first 
pastor of this church, by whom cider of a very superior 
quality was made, familiarly called Arminian Cider, and 
which for many years bore the highest price in market of 
any made in the state. Formerly there were considerable 
quantities of peaches and plumbs produced in this town, 
but for several years past, trees of this description have 
not flourished. There is however at present an apparent 
change for the better, and the present appearance is, that 
persons may now cultivate these trees with the hope of 
enjoying the fruit of them. 

There was a time between the years 1700 and 1790, 
when less attention was paid to the cultivation of fruit, 
than the real interest of the town required, the stately 
trees which the fathers had planted, yield in great abun- 
dance, and the iidiabitants seem hardly to have thought 
these could ever fail, and were therefore less careful to 
provide for those that should come after them, than their 
fathers had been before. At the present there is an in- 
creased attention to this subject, several very fine young 
orchards of engrafted fruit now ornament our town. 



9 

The winter pear, formerly called the Warden pear, was 

introduced into this town by Mv. AVooster, 

brother to Francis Wooster, grandfather of Samuel Wor- 
cester, D. D. of Salem, a man who from his singular in- 
genuity, was familiarly called doctor. But whether he 
cultivated this pear from the Dnmmer trees in Bj-field, or 
imported it, cannot be certainly ascertained, though the 
last is the most probable. 

Trade and Manufactories. The first store of any con- 
siderable importance in this town was opened by Moses 
Parker, Esq. who for many years did business to a consid- 
erable extent, and whose store, it is said, was furnished 
with a very great variety of merchandize. There are 
now about seven or eight stores of greater or less extent 
in which may be had most of the articles required in com- 
mon life, and upon as good terms as in any other place 
jn this part of tlie county. 

Ship building has been and would still be, were it not 
for the present depressed state of commerce, a very im- 
portant branch of business liere ; ships of rising four hun- 
dred tons may be safely launched. And with what is 
publicly known on the subject, it will not appear a matter 
of boasting, to say, our ship carpenters are well taught 
and skilful mechanics. The business was commenced by 
Mr. John Atwood, from Boston, in 1720. 

The manufactory of leather is carried on to considerable 
extent, five tan yards are now in full operation. This bus- 
iness was first commenced by Shubel Walker, in the upper 
parisli, in the early settlement of this town, but is now 
almost entireW confined to the cast })arish. 

Laige quantities of slioes are manufactured here, and 
sent to the soutliern and middle states, the West Indies, 
&c. About loO men are constantly employed in this busi- 
ness, beside many who emploj' the winter in it, who it is 
sujiposed make 50,000 pairs of shoes and boots yearly. 
This business as a trade, furnishing shoes for market, was 
commenced by Daniel Hardy, now of Pelhani, about sixty 



10 

years since, who used to send his shoes to Portsmouth. 
He was followed by Thomas Savory, Esq. and Nathaniel 
Mitchell, who carried on the business extensively, sending 
their shoes to the southern states, and to the West Indies. 
About the time of the French revolution, Moses Savory 
and a Mr. Gage, went in the same business, from which 
time it has been one of the most important articles in the 
business of this town. 

In 1798, William Tenny, Jr. commenced chaise mak- 
ing, since which time considerable has been done at that 
business, and is now doing, and perhaps never by more 
skilful and industrious mechanics than at present. 

Thomas Carlton, about the year 1760, set up a fulling 
mill on Johnson's creek, above Aaron Parker's upper mill 
where he carried on the dressing of cloth. In this fac- 
tory Mr. Benjamin Morse partly learned the trade, who 
in connection with his sons, has for many years, and to a 
considerable extent, carried on the business, and in a man- 
ner creditable to themselves and much to the public satis- 
faction. 

A small quantity of chocolate, was about thirty years 
since, manufactured by Jesse Atwood. 

Brass and pewter buckles and sleigh bells, were to a 
considerable amount made here by Stephen Foster, and 
others for some years before and after the revolution. 
Nothing however is done at this business now. 

Coopering business has been carried on in this town at 
different times to a gi eater or less extent, very little how- 
ever has been done at it for some years. This business 
is about to be revived by Jotham Hunt, Avho is making 
preparations for that purpose. During the revolutionary 
war, salt petre was made in this place by Deacon Samuel 
Tenny. 

In 1800, was commenced the manufactory of Straw 
Bonnets, which is now carried on to a considerable ex- 
tent in tliis town, and much to the advantage of those 
who are emploj-ed in it. 



11 

A considerable quantity of Tobacco is manufactured in 
this town. This business was commenced in 1770, by 
Moses Parker, Esq. a man excelled by few in real mechan- 
ical powers of mind. When he commenced this business, 
he was but about thirteen 3'ears of age, and never had 
enjoyed but one opportunity of seeing the machinery used 
in this work. 

Mines, (j-c. — I have not learned that any other than 
iron mine has been known to exist in this place, of this 
there is apparently a large quantity in the east part of 
the town. 

Clay of different qualities is found in many parts of the 
town, suitable for the common purposes for which it is 
used. There is one bed in the east part of the town, of 
a finer quality, which I have reason to believe might be 
worked to advantage in making the finer articles of the 
Potter. 

There are two springs in the east parish, one on the 
land of Thomas Savory, Esq. the other on that of Isaiah 
Jewitt, the waters of which are empregnated with iron, 
and if properly improved and secured from other water, 
might no doubt be used to advantage by persons afflicted 
with disorders for which calybiate waters are prescribed. 

It being the opinion of some who professed to have 
knowledge and experience on the subject, that there was 
mineral coal and lead in the hill between the east meet- 
ing house and the river, an attempt was made to ascer- 
tain the fact in 1808, and a considerable time and prop- 
erty expended, but without success. But I can hardly 
suppose any one acquainted with mining, would from look- 
ing at what was done, consider this failure as any very 
positive evidence that there is none there. 

3Iills, ifc. — Johnson's creek affords the greatest and in- 
deed the only considerable means for water works in this 
town, and it has been considerabl}- improved for this pur- 
pose, for on it have stood, or are now standing, four saw 
mills, five grist mills, three fulling mills, two bark mills. 



12 

The first of these was a grist mill, standing below the 
road leading from Mr. Daniel Kimball's to deacon Thomas 
Morse's, and was set up by Edward Carlton, the first 
person born in Rowley, or his fatlier, probably about 
the year 1670. This mill is not now standing, nor is 
the place where it stood occupied. In 1780, deacon Phin- 
eas Carlton, built a mill luwer dt)\vn the stream, just on 
the opposite side of the creek from that on which Mr. 
Aaron Parker's upper mill now stands, and had tlie sluice 
dug which is now in repair. This was done, by job for 
70 dollars, by Cuff Dole, a person of color, of remark- 
able strength, steady habits, and who died in the com- 
fortable hope of a blessed immortalit3\ 

In 1750, Joseph Kimball and Eliphalet Hardy, set up 
the lower mill so called, and as it was a work of con- 
siderable magnitude to build the damn, and the mill great- 
ly needed, the inhabitants volunteered their services, some 
men only of common property, subscribing and afterwards 
performing from fifteen to twent}^ days labor. 

In 1790, Retier Parker built a tanyard near the low- 
er mill, and contrived to have the stone with which the 
bark is ground, moved by water instead of horses, as 
Avas the practice at that time, certainly a useful improve- 
ment. 

All these, with the exception of a part of the lower 
mill, have become the property of Aaron Parker, Esq. 
a man of ingenuity and enterprise, wlio has improved 
them in a manner highly creditable to himself, and to 
the advantage and convenience of the public. lie has 
also attached a rolling and fulling mill, to his upper grist 
mill, and has a bark mill running with such perfection, 
that it will grind as much bark in two hours, as could 
be ground in a whole day by the former mill, though as 
we observed, that was a great improvement u[)on the i^en- 
er.d practice of the day. 

In 1()81, this town received proposals from Richard 
Whonies, of Rowley, and John Perle, of Marblehead, 



13 

to set up a corn mill upon this creek, a little above the 
mill built by the first Mr. Carlton, which proposals were 
well received by the town, and considerable subscriptions 
were made to forward the design, upon condition, that 
said Whomes and Perle would set up a good and sufli- 
cient mill, and that the people in this town sliould be 
served in their turn, in preference to those from out of 
town, and also that sufficient passage be left for fish, 
which conditions were agreed to, and the mill accordingly 
set up. This mill is not standing at present. 

The first saw mill was owned by the Carlton famil}^, 
but when built I have not learned. It must have been 
in the early settlement of the town. It stood across the 
road above the place of the first grist mill. And it is a 
fact worthy of notice, that the mud sills of the three 
first mills are still remaining, and can be seen, though 
it must be about 150 years, perhaps more, since they 
were put down. 

In 1784, Mr. Francis Kimball built a saw mill, and 
Mr. Benjamin Morse a fulling mill near the mouth of 
the creek, the latter of which is now standing and in 
full operation. 

Besides these, there have been five or six saw mills 
in different parts of the town, and one grist mill, upon 
temporary streams. One of the saw mills on the farm 
of David How, has recently been put in good repair. 

I shall take this opportunity to observe, that though 
much use is made of the water of Johnson's creek, yet 
a much more considerable advantage might be derived 
from it. Several mills more might with perfect conven- 
ience stand upon it. The convenience of the public 
does certainly call for the ei-ection of a carding mill. 
Another saw mill would find full employ, indeed it would 
be easy to show how enterprising individuals might get 
wealth, and the community be better served, by enlist- 
ing in their service, the force of this water which God 
in his goodness causes to How down this stream for the 
use of men. 



14 

Hoads, S^c. The first committee upon record, for lay- 
ing out highway in this town, were sergeant John Gage, 
Joseph Pike, John Griffin, who were appointed in the 
year 1668. How far these persons were concerned in 
laying out our roads, it is impossible for us now to say. 
It is certain, whoever were the agents in this business, 
they committed an error in making them so narrow ; 
an inconvenience greatly felt, but which I am happy to 
observe, the town is taking measures, as far as may be, 
to remedy. Several have already been widened in part, 
and have been given orders for the widening others. 
Though this measure will be attended with considerable 
expense and labor, it will, beyond doubt, be ultimately 
found a measure of economy as well as beauty and con- 
venience. Our roads, though narrow, are, in general, 
well made, and the bridges all in good repair. And I 
cannot but think that a stranger passing through this 
town, will from the state of the roads, the good order 
in our public houses, the appearance of our fields, and 
the beauty of the river, find as much to entertain the 
mind and please their fancy, as in most towns in this 
county. 

It was the early policy of this town, and a good policy 
it is, to restrain cattle, &c. In order to carry this reg- 
ulation into effect, as well as for other obvious pur- 
poses, they voted the 5th of January, 1685, to build a 
pound, with gate, lock and key, to be set up the next 
spring, on such part of the meeting-house land, as the 
selectmen should judge most convenient, which order 
was carried into effect. The present pound occupies a 
different place, and was built after the west parish built 
their present meeting. house, who seem, for some reason 
unknown to me, to have had the expense of this to 
defray. 

At the same meeting in which the vote passed to call 
this town Bradford, instructions were given to the se- 
lectmen, to provide a burying-ground, who, it seems, 



15 

were furnished with the Ijind now improved for that 
purpose, in the west parish, by the liberaKty of John 
Haseltine, Jr. of Haverhill, upon condition the town 
would keep it fenced, which condition was however, the 
same year given up by his son Samuel, of Bradford ; so 
the town now holds it without condition. 

The burying ground in this part of the town, is a 
present to the parish, from Mr. Samuel Jewitt, and the 
first person buried there was Mrs. Martha Hale, in 1723. 
As we learn from the inscription on the stone at the 
foot, 

If you will look, it may appear 

She was the first that was buried here. 

Schools, ^c. — There is much reason to suppose, this 
town was furnished with schools in part, at the public 
expense, and that the provision for these, was among 
the " prudentials " intrusted to the selectmen, from the 
earliest date. There is however, no vote of the town 
recorded on this subject, till the year 1701, when it was 
voted, the selectmen should provide a school, according 
to their discretion, and that they should assess the town 
for the expense of the same. The next year it was 
voted that those who sent to school, should pay two pence 
a week for those that learned to read, and four pence 
for those that learned to write, the additional expense 
to be paid by the town. The person's name who kept, 
was Ichabods, the next whose name is mentioned, was 
Master White, who commenced in 1723, and received 
24Z. 10s. a year. His successor was Hobey, who was 
followed by a Mr. Merrel. All these persons kept 
through the year, and most of them for several years 
each, and as far as we can judge, were well qualified for 
the business. 

The first school-house was built on the meeting-house 
land, 22 feet long, 18 feet wide and 7 feet posts, and 
cost 25Z. The building committee, were Jonathan Wood- 
man, sergeant Robert Haseltine and Nathaniel Walke:^. 



16 

There are at present seven school-houses in six districts, 
in which are kept twenty four months of man's sciiool 
annually, and in summer there is good provision made 
for the instruction of small children. 

In June 7, 1805, the town accepted a report made 
by their committee appointed for that purpose, consist- 
ing of Moses Parker, Daniel Stickney, Bradstreet Par- 
ker, Thomas Savory, Esq. and Samuel Tenny, for the 
better management of the town school. The regulations 
recommended in this report, have, by experiment, been 
found good and useful; and under the advantages now 
afforded the children and youth, for the acquisition of 
knowledge, competent to the common concerns of life, 
they are certainly making very encouraging progiess. 
And I do not think I am influenced by prejudice, or 
judge without some knowledge on the subject when I 
say that I have never known children in common life, 
so forward in learning, us those in the districts which 
come under my immediate inspection. And as the reg- 
ulations through town, are the same, it is presumed the 
same observation may be extended to all. 

It would be an additional improvement, both in re- 
gard to economy and the advancement of our children, 
were the committee empowered to prescribe in all cases, 
the books which should be used. And there can be but 
little doubt, but the same observation would hold true 
in regard to the towns furnishing the necessary station- 
ary to be used in schools. 

The greatest inconvenience, we experience, is the un- 
equal division of the school districts, an evil which I 
do not know can well be remedied ; but being an evil 
which all now feel, will I hope, teach all that in the 
course of years, individuals can be benefitted in no surer 
way, than by consulting the general good. 

Beside these public schools, there is an academy in 
the west parish, founded in 1803, and chiefly supported 
by inhabitants living in that part of the town. This 



17 

institution has, for several years past, enjoyed a large 
share of public patronage, the best evidence we can have 
of its being esteemed, by those who have no motives 
for partiality, a good institution. God has also sent his 
blessings upon it. Several considerable revivals of reli- 
gion have taken place there among the students, and 
many, who came in pursuit of human science, have there 
learned that fear of the Lord, which is the beginning 
of wisdom, and acquired that good understanding, which 
all have who keep his commandments. Near 2500 youth 
have received instruction within its walls ; numbers of 
whom have performed or are now performing parts in 
the theatre of life, honorable to themselves, and useful 
to the world. Among whom, you will not expect, I 
should fail to name, Mrs. Harriet Newell, who in life, 
took a part in carrying the gospel to a land shadowing 
in darkness, and whose writings, published since her 
death, have been the happy instrument of exciting the 
attention of many, to the obligations they owe to the 
heathen world. 

This academy is under the direction of eleven trus- 
tees, viz: — Rev. Jonathan Allen, A. M. Pres. Rev. Isaac 
Braman, Col. James Kimball, Mr. Edward Kimball, 
Joseph Chadwick, Esq. Rev. Joshua Dodge, Dea. John 
Hasseltine, Mr. Moses Kimball, Hon. John Varnum, 
Rev. Gardner B. Perry, Mr. William Tenny, and has 
funds to the amount of about two thousand dollars. 

Since its foundation, the following persons have held 
the place of principal instructors in the two apartments. 
Rev. Samuel Walker, Rev. Samuel Guile, Rev. Abra- 
ham Burnham, Samuel Morrell, Samuel Peabody, Dan- 
iel Hardy, Luther Baily, Hon. Samuel Adams, Richard 
Kimball, Rev. Ebenezer P. Sperry, Nathaniel Dike, Jo- 
seph Noyes, and Benjamin Greenleaf the present pre- 
ceptor. 

In the female apartment. Miss Hannah Swan, Mary 
Boardman, Harriet Webster, Betsey Allen, Charlotte 



18 

Gage, Abigail C. Hasseltine, the present precep- 
tress.* 

There are two libraries in this town, in which there 
is a respectable number of well chosen books, besides 
several little collections owned by small associations. 

The Washington Benevolent Society, is an institution 
now exclusively devoted to literary improvement, and 
the business is conducted, as I have much reason to 
suppose, in a manner higlily useful to the members. 
And I must say with its present cast, it is highly de- 
sirable, that the J^oung men should more generally be- 
come members of it. It is by no means designed, and 
it is far from being desirable, that it should be confined 
to one part of the town, though hitherto most of its 
members have been of this parish. And I cannot but 
think, that the young men, who do not avail them- 
selves of the advantages of this or some similar institu- 
tion, will, in the course of a few years, find themselves 
considerably behind tliose in real information, who every 
month assemble for improvement in useful knowledge. 

The following persons have received a public educa- 
tion — 

T'ears. JVames. Colleges. Residence. 

1698 Rev. Thomas Symmns, A. M. Harvard, Bradford, dec. 

1736. Rev, Samuel Webster, S. T. D. Harvard, Salisbury, Ms. dec. 

1774. Rev. Benj. Thurston, A. M. Harvard, Exeter, N. H. dec. 
178-2. Benj. Parker, A M.M.D, M.M.S.Soc. Harvard, Bradford, 

1789. Daniel Hardy, Jr. A. M. Dartmouth ,V%\\\^va.. N. U. 

1790 Samuel Walker, Esq. Harvard, Rutland, Vt. 

1791. Aaron Hardy, A. M. Z)«;-/';«o«/'//,Bost()n, dec. 

1800 John Dutoh, /?«/-//«(?«///, Bradford, 

1800. Rev. Daniel Kimball, A. M. Harvard, llinsham, Ms. 
1803 Rev. David T. Kimball, A. M. Harvard, Ipswich, Ms, 

1801. Leonard Kimball, A. M. Harvard, Baltimore, 

1808 Nathaniel K Hardy, Z>«/'/;«o«///, Pembroke, dec, 

1808. Frederic Muzzy, Esq. Columbia, N. York City, dec. 

1810. Riciiard Kimball, A. M. /^rtr/wo/^///, Ipswich, Ms. 

1812. (jleorge Parker, A M. Harvard, Southward, 

181;'). Rev. Alonzo Phillips, A. M. Middlebury ,Vx\x\gg\,ovl, Ms. 

ISl.'i Rev. David Tenny, A. M. Harvard, Mi.««ionary, dec. 

18'20 James Kimball, Jr. 7l//VA//c(^«/-r,Andover, 

1821. Stephen ^lor.se, Z>rtr////o/////, Bradford. 

* It may not be iinproper to notice, that since this di.ecourse was writ- 
ten, a building has been erected in the east parisli, designed among other 
useiul purposes, for an academy, in which it is hoped to afl'ord youth, who 
may resort here, the common advantages of such institutions. 



19 

Title to the Soil, ^c. — So far as the government of 
the colony was concerned, we have already seen, that 
our ancestors became in rightful possession of the land, 
in virtue of the patent granted to Mr. Rogers. And 
the settlement was made according to the acknowledge- 
ment of his descendants, with the full " knowledge, li- 
cense and liking " of *Maschonomontic, alias Mas-^hon- 
nomit, the chief Sagamore and native proprietor of all 
the land between the Merrimack and Naumkeag or Bass 
rivers. But there was no actual purchase of the land 
from him. In consequence of this, his descendants and 
heirs, Samuel English and Joseph English, grand-chil- 
dren, and John Umpee, his nephew, set up a claim to 
the soil in 1700, which claim was allowed by the town, 
and a committee consisting of John Tenny, Joseph, Bai- 
ley, Richard Kimball, Sen. Phillip Atwood and John 
Boynton, was chosen the 2ocl of November that year, 
to treat with these persons, and purchase the land at 
the town's expense. This they did for the sum of Ql. 
10 shillings, and took a deed for the land, signed by 
these three persons, dated 13th January 1701. Samuel 
English putting down for his mark, the sign of a ser- 
pent, Joseph English, that of a bow and arrow, and 
John Umpee, that of a new moon. 

Those therefore, who now possess landed property 
here, may comfort themselves with the reflection, that 
so far as the original possessors are concerned, they have 
a just title to it, a reflection which must yield no small 
satisfaction to those who wish to do justly by all. In 
consequence as it is presumed, of tlie wise and equita- 
ble dealings of the flrst settlers, and their immediate de- 
scendants, with the aboriginal inhabitants, next to the 
restraining influence of God's spirit, the people in this 
town were never much molested by them. I have found 

* Maschonnomit, or as it is spelt in some other records, Maschanomet, 
was one of the five Sagamores, who in 1643, signed an instrument by 
which they put themselves and people under the government of the Mas- 
sachusetts Uolony. 



20 

but one record of any violence experienced from them. 
This is contained in a note attached to one of the town 
books, by Shubel Walker, who was then town clerk, a 
man admirably fitted for that ofiice, being a very fine 
writer, and very accurate in the duties of his office ; he 
served the town several years. He observes in this note, 
that Thomas Kimball, was shot by an Indian, the od 
of May, 1676, and his wife and five children, Joannah, 
Thomas, Joseph, Prescilla and John, were carried cap- 
tive. These however, he observes in another note, re- 
turned home again the 13th of June the same year. 
Mr. Kimball's house stood on the road leading to Box- 
ford, between Mr. Nathaniel Woodman's and Mr. Pea- 
body's, about twenty rods towards Boxford, where the 
well and cellar still remain. It is traditionally reported, 
that the Indians, who committed this violence, set out 
from their homes, near Dracutt, with the intention of 
killing some one in Rowley, who they supposed had in- 
jured them, but finding the night too far spent, they 
did not dare to proceed further, and so avenged them- 
selves on Mr. Kimball, for an injury another man had 
done them. There was also a Mr. Nehemiah Carlton, 
shot from across the river, at the time of the attack 
upon Haverhill. And it is said farther, that one of the 
workmen employed in felling timber on the Haverhill 
side of the river, for building the house now owned by 
Reuben Carlton, was also shot. Beside these I have 
heard of no particular injury received from tliem. There 
must have been a considerable settlement of Indians in 
this town, as is evident from the number of bones found 
in and about the hill near Paul Parker's. The last of 
these who resided here, was Papahana, who lived to a 
great age, in a huj: near the mouth of Johnson's creek ; 
the people of the last generation, knew liim well. The 
name of the tribe to which this settlement belonged, is 
not certainly known, but is supposed to be the Paw- 
tucet. 



21 

There were three garrison houses built at an early 
period in this town, one of brick at the west end of 
the town, near the place where Mr. John Day's house 
now stands. One where the parsonage was afterwards 
built, opposite the burying-ground, in the west parish. 
The third where widow Rebecca Foster's house is ; 
this was palisaded. The inhabitants of the town, often 
passed the night in these houses, when from any cir- 
cumstance they apprehended danger from the savages. 
There was also a block house on the neck so called, 
near the falls, in which, during times of danger, the in- 
habitants watched by turns. 

Town Officers. — One thing which contributes greatly 
to the respectability, the moral habits, and indeed to 
the prosperit}^ of a town, is the appointment of suita- 
ble men to transact its public concerns. And I am 
happy to observe, that the records of this town, carry 
with them strong internal evidence, that such has been 
the character of a very great proportion of the men, 
who have, at different periods, had the conducting of 
its affairs. In the early settlement of the town, the se- 
lectmen appeared to have been considered the fathers of 
the town ; and accordingly were from year to year, for 
a great period, empowered by the town, to manage all its 
"prudential affairs according to the best of their discretion." 
And if any opinion can be gathered from the town rec- 
ords, they merited the confidence placed in them. I do 
not find an instance, in Avhich there is the least evi- 
dence of any dissatisfaction on the part of the town, for 
what they did, unless the raising a school committee in 
the year to manage the concerns of the schools, 

which had, before this, been left with the selectmen, 
was such. The first who served in this office, were ser- 
geant John Gage, Robert Hasseltine, Joseph Pike, John 
Griffin, John Tenny. Agreeable to the discretionary 
power entrusted to the selectmen, we find them giving 
directions concerning the height of fences, &c., things 
now regulated by law. 



22 

And as I perhaps shall not find a more convenient 
place, I will observe here, that Thomas Kimball was at 
the first meeting in this town, chosen constable, Samuel 
Wooster, Benjamin Gage, Benjamin Kimball, David 
Hasseltine, overseers, Joseph Pike, clerk. And at the 
same meeting, it was voted, that the houses of Benja- 
min Gage and Thomas Kimball, " shoald be legal places 
for posting up any order or other business of public con- 
cernment to the whole town." And this remained the 
order of the town, for any thing that appears, with the 
exception of one year, when the meeting-house was 
made the place for such notifications, till the division of 
the town into parishes. I mention this because it makes 
known the parts of the town, which were then the 
places of most resort and most business. And also as 
an evidence that the people of those days, thought the 
setting up such notifications on meeting-houses to be 
read sabbath days, was bringing religious and secular 
things too much together. 

In 1707, the town voted there should be two consta- 
bles instead of one, as before, chosen from the two parts 
of the town, and that the twenty-five shillings that had 
been given yearly for this service, should be divided be- 
tween them. This is the first act of the town, which 
looks like any acknowledgement of a claim to public 
notice, from local circumstances, and was the commence- 
ment of a practice, in regard to town ofiices, which has 
prevailed to the present time, and by which the two 
parts of the town have acted together with a great de- 
gree of harmony and good feeling, and which I ear- 
nestly hope they will ever continue to do. And it v." as 
this measure which led the way in the division of the 
town into parishes, which took place about twenty years 
after. 

Puhlie Order. — There are few circumstances in the 
lives of men, better calculated to give a correct view of 
their character, than their regard to public order. And 



23 

I am happy to find, that a commendable regard to 
this, is evident in all the doings of this town. At the 
first, meeting, it was voted " that whoever did not ap- 
pear at town meeting, at the time set for such meeting, 
should pay six pence for every hour he was " defective," 
and if any one in meeting should speak without leave 
obtained from the moderator, he should pay the same 
sum for every "offence." On the 11th of January, 1668, 
"it was further voted, that when the town are assem- 
bled in town meeting, that no one should leave the house 
without liberty obtained, under the penalty of twelve 
pence per hour, and that no act passed by the town 
after sunset shall be of value." 

In March 1699, a vote was passed to preserve order 
in the meeting-house, and for this purpose it was or- 
dered, that seats shonld be assessed to individuals, and 
that if any should refuse to take the seat assigned him, 
after proper notice, he should be fined five shillings for 
every day of public assembly, from which vote there 
were but two dissenting voices, viz : Joseph and Jacob 
Hardy. In 1708, when the new meeting-house was to 
be seated, the town instructed the committee appointed 
for that purpose, to place the men above 60, according 
to their age, and all others according to their rates, 
having no respect to the rates of sons and servants. 

In 1818, a vote was passed unanimously in this parish, 
recommending to all, to go into the meeting-house dur- 
ing the tolling of the bell on days of public worship, 
and also to make as little noise as practicable in mov- 
ing the falling seats. I refer to this as an evidence, 
that the people retain the same good ideas of public 
order, which so highly recommends the first settlers in 
this town, and to remind those who may have forgot- 
ten this resolve, that it stands yet, as the expression 
of the sense of the parish, concerning what is decent to 
be done in and about the house of God. And it is 
pleasing to observe, that there appears to be an increas- 



24 

ing attention to the recommendation contained in this 
vote. 

Health. — Bradford has been as much favoured in this 
respect, as towns in general. So far as is known, there 
never has been a specifick local disorder here ; as far 
back as we have records, about one in ten of the deaths 
has been of persons rising eighty years ; for the few 
years past the proportion has been rather greater. In 
this parish since my settlement, full one, out of eight 
of the deaths, has been of those, who, by reason of 
strength, had lived to four score years ; and I am happy 
to say, that in most of these, old age was honourable, 
because found in the ways of righteousness. 

In 1736, this town, in common with several other 
parts of New England, was visited with the throat dis- 
temper, which in one year, carried oif in this parish, 
forty-seven children, and nine grown persons. And it 
is said that only two families entirely escaped the dis- 
order, one of which was that of their Rev. Pastor. 
And I apprehend it is from this circumstance, connected 
with the French war, so called, which made another 
draft ui^on persons of the same generation, that there 
are fewer persons of from 86 and upwards living now, 
than there was in the former generation, and less than 
there is a prospect of being in the generation now fol- 
lowing them, in this county, and perhaps in other parts 
of New-England. This appears to me, at least, a much 
more probable reason for the present diminution among 
aged people, than the one generally given, that people 
do not now live as long, as in the early settlement of 
the country. 

In 1762, the throat distemper returned again, when 
about twenty-three were taken away by it, in a short 
time. And in 1794, fifteen more died of the same dis- 
order. May God, in his great mercy, forbid that this 
judgment should return any more to this place. May 
the rising generation be aaved from the pestilence which 



25 

walketh in darkness^ and from the distruction which wasteth 
at noon-day. 

In May 1777, the small-pox made its appearance in 
this place. The first person that died with it, was Jere- 
miah Hardy. The town built a pest house on the road 
passing by Mr. Benjamin Jaquis's, south of his house, 
and removed those to it, who had taken the disorder. 
Fourteen had the disorder and ten died. Just about the 
time those, who recovered, were permitted to return to 
their homes, the pest house was consumed by fire ; but 
the town, though it instituted an enquiry, was not able 
to ascertain by what means the fire was communicated 
to it. 

What is called the revolution in this country, and by 
which we became a free and independent people, is a 
subject of so much general interest, the young will be 
glad to be informed, and the old to be reminded, what 
part this town took, in that glorious and ever memo- 
rable affair. The first public measure upon record, is 
the choice of captain Daniel Thurston, in 1774, to set 
in the provincial congress, which was to meet at Con- 
cord the 11th of October, that year. And at a subse- 
quent meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants 
of the town of Bradford, duly warned and legally as- 
sembled, it was voted to give to captain Daniel Thurs- 
ton, the representative of the town of Bradford, in gen- 
eral assembly, the following instructions. " Sir, we, his 
majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, freeholders and 
other inhabitants of the town of Bradford, in town meet- 
ing legally assembled, this 7th of January 1775, take 
this opportunity to express our very great uneas^iness, 
at the infringements of our natural and constitutional 
rights, by many of the late measures of the British ad- 
ministration ; particularly those of the taxation of the 
colonies, and the granting of salaries to the judges of 
the Superior Court, measures adapted as we apprehend, 
to lay a foundation in time, to render property preca- 



26 

rious and to introduce a system of despotism, which we 
cannot view, but with the utmost aversion, and to which 
we cannot submit, while possible to be avoided. We 
recommend it to you as our representative in general as- 
sembly, to use your influence to obtain redress of all 
our injuries ; and in particular to enquire whether the 
support of the judges of the Superior Court, has been 
adequate to their services, office and station ; and if not, 
to use your influence in obtaining suitable grants and 
establishments, as may be thought sufficient to remove 
all pretence, that government is not sufficiently sup- 
ported among ourselves, which was voted unanimously. 
We .also vote the thanks of this town, to the town of 
Boston, for the care and vigilance they have discovered 
for the rights and privileges of this province, as men, 
as christians, and as subjects. Voted, that the town 
clerk, be directed to transmit a copy of these instruc- 
tions, &G. to the committee of correspondence in Bos- 
ton." 



Dudley Caelton, 
William Greenough, 
Benjamin Gage, Jr. 
Thomas Webster, 
Amos Mulliken. 



Committee to 
make report. 



As the difficulties between this and the mother coun- 
try increased, and it had become a serious question, 
whether the united colonies should declare themselves 
independent, a meeting of the town was called " to see 
whether the town would advise or give Dudley Carlton, 
their representative, any instructions relative to the hon- 
ourable congress declaring the United Colonies inde- 
pendent states." And the town met accordingly on the 
20th of June 1776, when they appointed Thomas Web- 
ster, John Burbank, capt. Nathaniel Gage, Benjamin 
Muzzy, John Savory, to consult and report to the meet- 
ing, what ought to be done ; which committee reported, 



27 

that they should send to their representative the follow- 
ing instructions, viz : 

To Dudley Carlton, Esq. representative from the town 
of Bradford, in general assembly, 

" Sir- When we consider the despotick plan of gov- 
ernment, adopted by the king, ministry and parliament 
of Great Britain, to enslave these American colonies. 
When we consider, instead of redressing our grievan- 
ces, they have turned a deaf ear to the repeated peti- 
titions and remonstrances of all the United Colonies, 
and have also been and are still endeavoring to enforce 
their arbitrary plan upon us, by spilling our blood, by 
burning our towns, by seizing our property and by in- 
stigating the savages of the wilderness, and the negroes 
to take up the cause against us. When we consider 
these things, it raises our indignation, that we who have 
always been loyal subjects to the king of Great Britain, 
should be so unconstitutionally and inhumanly treated ; 
such tyranical impositions and abuses of power, we cannot 
as men submit to. Therefore utterly despairing of a happy 
reconciliation ever taking place between Great Britian 
and these colonies, you are hereby desired, as our rep- 
resentative, to use your utmost endeavour, that our del- 
egates in general congress be instructed to shake off the 
tyrannical yoke of Great Britain, and declare these 
United Colonies indej3endent of that venal, corrupt and 
avaricious court forever, provided no proposals for a 
happy reconciliation be offered, which the honorable 
congress think proper to accept, and we hereby engage 
that we will, at the risk of our lives and fortunes, en- 
deavour to defend them therein." 

Which report was accepted so far as it appears unan- 
imously, and accordingly sent. 

This town united also b}' unanimous vote, in the ex- 
ertions which were made through this state, to procure 
an universal observance of an act of the state, to pre- 
vent monopoly : And at the same meeting, gave the 



28 

selectmen discretionary power to purchase guns and 
powder. In the same year they met to choose some 
one firmly attached to the American cause, to secure 
this and the other United States, against the danger to 
which they were exposed by internal enemies, and Abra- 
ham Day, Jr. was made choice of for this purpose. As 
it would not be possible to go through all the meas- 
ures the town took in this work, I will remark that 
during the continuance of the war, the people of the 
town appear to have been ready and willing to do their 
part in the toil, and bear their part of the expenses of 
that war ; which remark is abundantly supported by 
their numerous votes to raise money, provision and men, 
whenever called upon by the proper authorities, and 
from their prompt assistance, without any call, when the 
exigencies of the country seemed to require. 

After the cessation of hostilities, when this country 
had virtually obtained the object contended for, it be- 
came a question, what course should be taken in regard 
to those who had left the country during the war. The 
sentiment of this town on the subject, may be learned 
from the following resolution, passed May 17th, 1783, 
viz : " That the representative from this town the en- 
suing year, be instructed to use his utmost endeavour, 
to prevent any person or persons returning to live in 
this commonwealth, who have conspired against or ab- 
sented themselves from the United States, during the 
continuance of the war with Great Britain." The sen- 
timent expressed in this vote, prevailed generally at that 
time, but has not borne the test of more cool delibera- 
tion. 

After the declaration of independence, it became a 
subject of great concern, to define the principles and 
fix upon the form of government in this commonwealth. 
And there were measures taken to get the minds of the 
people, on the subject of a new constitution, and of 
the manner it should be formed. The result this town 



29 

came to, is expressed in the following resolution, " that 
we are not willing, nor do we consent, that the house 
of representatives and council acting in one body, as 
proposed in a resolve of the house, passed September 
17, 1776, should agree on, and enact a constitution, and 
form of government for this state, but we are willing 
and do desire that the honourable council, and the hon- 
ourable house of representatives, each acting in their 
respective capacities proceed to form a plan of govern- 
ment for this state, and exhibit attested copies of the 
same, to the several towns, for their inspection and ap- 
probation, before it be ratified and confirmed." 

In 1779, when delegates were to be chosen for the 
formation of a constitution, this town made choice of 
Peter Russel, Esq. to meet with the convention, to be 
assembled for that purpose on the 1st of September, 
and instructed him, when the constitution was formed, 
to deliver a copy of it to the selectmen, in order to have 
it laid ^before the town for their inspection. The con- 
stitution being formed and sent to the people in 1780, 
the people voted to accept it, requiring however, that 
the word protestant should be inserted after the word 
christian in the qualification for governor. There were 
eleven votes against the third article, the rest appears to 
have been adopted without dissent. 

In 1795, when the time had arrived for the revision of 
the constitution, according to a provision made in it, if 
the people desired it, there was but one vote in favour 
of a revision. 

This year, as you know, there has been a new pro- 
posal for alteration, arising professedly from this circum- 
stance, that one large portion of this state has been sep- 
arated from it. A majority of votes was given in favor 
of revision. And there being found to be a majority in 
the state, this town voted to send to the Convention, and 
for this purpose, made choice of Daniel Stickney, and 
Jesse Kimball, Esquires. The Convention is now in 



30 

session, and the revision going on perhaps not with all 
the speed the public expected, but with a spirit and 
talent which promises a happy issue. 

Religion, — At what time the people upon this river, be- 
gan first to enjoy the worship of God by themselves, 
does not appear from any record that I have found. Rev. 
Mr. Zechariah Symmes, must have resided in this town 
in capacity of a religious teacher, at least about fourteen 
years before his ordination. For in the first legal town 
meeting of which we have a record, held in 1668, it 
was voted, that the selectmen chosen that year, should 
have power to carry on and finish the minister's house 
according to Mr. Symmes' direction, though he was not 
ordained till 1682. And for his support, the first year, 
he received forty pounds, the next year fifty, which ap- 
pears to have been his yearly salary, till the time of his 
ordination. The one half of this was to be paid in 
wheat, pork, butter and clieese, the other half in malt, 
Indian corn or rye. And the town appear to have been 
desirous to make his circumstances altogether comforta- 
ble, for in 1669, they voted to defray the expense of 
bringing his goods to town, gave him forty acres of land 
near Indian hill, and appointed sergeant Gage, John 
Simmons and David Haseltine, to lay it out. And fur- 
ther appointed Robert Haseltine and Samuel Wooster, 
to gather the tax, and take care to have Mr. Symmes' 
work done, and to attend to such other things as he should 
stand in need of during the year. And a committee was 
appointed for the same purpose from year to year, during 
his and the greater part of his successor's ministry in this 
place. Indeed provision for the full and respectable en- 
joyment of religion, and for the comfort of those who min- 
istered to them in holy things, formed a very prominent 
trait in the character of the first settlers in this town. 
Hardly a meeting of the town passed without doing some- 
thing on this subject, and all manifesting a liberality which 
docs them honor. In accordance with what was a princi- 



31 

pal object with them, they appointed in 1677, Samuel 
Wooster, John Tenny, John Simmons and Richard Hall, 
to join with Mr. Symmes "to advise to what might be 
thought best for the further carrying on the affairs of re- 
ligion, and to prepare for the settlement of the ordinances 
of God, in this place." And in 1681, it was voted and 
consented to, "that the Rev. Mr. Symmes have liberty at 
his discretion, to call out any two men of the inhabitants 
of the town, to assist him in catechising the youth, and 
also to go with him to see who of the heads of the fami- 
lies or others, would join the church." That the last part 
of this resolve may be understood, it may be necessary 
to observe, that it was now in contemplation to form a 
church in tliis town, for tliongh the inhabitants of this 
town had enjoyed, as we have noticed, the ministry of 
the word, they had not the holy sacrament, for their re- 
ligious teacher, Mr. S^anmes, had not yet been ordained ; 
the pious were united with tlie church at Rowley, Ha- 
verhill, and perhaps with other neighboring societies, 
the object therefore of this resolution was to see who 
would take up their connections with other churches, and 
unite in forming one in this place, and further to ascertain 
whether tliere were not other serious persons disposed 
to unite with them. Having ascertained each other's 
feelings on this subject, and found, as their consequent 
doings prove, the minds of professors favourable to such 
a plan, they called in the pastors of several churches 
to advise with them about the propriety of the measure 
they had in contemplation. The result of their deliber- 
ations we have in the following instrument. 

"The question being proposed to us whose names are 
under-written, whether the minister and j)eople at Brad- 
ford, should promote without delay a coalition of them- 
selves into a church and society, we answer in the affirm- 
ative, provided that the people do their utmost in tak- 
ing effectual care, that he that preaches the gospel among 
them, live on the gospel according to 1 Cor. ix, 14, that 



32 

so he may provide for his own household, as 1 Tim., v, 2, 
provided also, that their present teacher accept of office 
work among them so long as he finds he can comforta- 
bly discharge his duty, in all the relations he stands to 
God, his people and in his family, and that when he 
finds he cannot discharge his said duties respectively, 
the people shall freely release him of his engagement to 
them, after leave of council taken in the case : for 
hereby is a door opened for the worker to work the 
whole work of God, as an officer of Christ in that place, 
as others in office do in their places according to the 
1 Cor. xvi. 10, for he worketh the work of God as I also 
do ; hereby also is a better opportunity both for the 
worker and those that are taught to walk in all the com- 
mandments and ordinances of God blameless : Luke i, 6. 
That they may be found walking in the truth as we 
have received commandment from the father, 2 John 4. 
Dated 31st Oct. 1682. 

This was subscribed by the Rev. Elder John Higgin- 
son, William Hubljard, John Brak, Samuel Phillips, 
John Richerson, John Hale, Edward Payson. And at 
a legal town meeting, November 28, 1682, it was voted 
and' granted, that this resolve of the Rev. Elders, be 
entered in the town book as what was ascented to by 
all the inhabitants in the town. 

To the conditions proposed by these reverend Elders, 
the town made the reply contained in the following in- 
strument, which also contains the call they made to Mr. 
Symmes, to settle with them. 

"We, tlie inhabitants of Bradford, met together at a 
legal town meeting, loth March, 1682, in thankfulness 
to God for his great mercy in setting up his sanctuary 
among us, do hereby engage ourselves, jointly and singly, 
and do engage our chiklren after us, as far as we may, 
by our parental authority, to endeavor by our and their 
utmost power, to uphold the faithful ministry of the 
gospel of Jesus Cln-ist, in this town of Bradford, so long 



33 

as we and they shall live; and for the encouragement of 
the same, to contribute a lil)eral and honorable main- 
tenance towards it, as the rule of the gospel doth re- 
quire, to the utmost of our and their ability, which God 
shall be pleased to bless us and them with from time 
to time. And for the encouragement of our present 
minister, we do covenant and promise to give and allow 
to him, so long as he shall continue with us as our 
minister, the full sum of sixty pounds per annum, if 
God be pleased to preserve us in our present capacity, 
and for to be paid in our present state annually, as fol- 
lows: the first half in wheat and pork, butter and cheese, 
allowiug at least to this half, one pound of butter for 
every milch cow and one cheese for a family; the other 
half to be in malt, Indian or rye, except what he will- 
ingly excepts in other pay; the first payment to be made 
the second Thursday in October, the other payment to 
be made the third Thursday in March ; and if any un- 
foreseen providence shall hinder, then to take the next 
convenient day the week following. 

We further grant liberty to him, to improve for his 
best advantage, what land we shall accomplish or ob- 
tain for our, ministry. We grant him also liberty to 
feed his herd of cattle on our lands during his abode 
with us, which shall have the same liberty as our own 
cattle have. We engage to procure for him, at our 
own charge besides the annual stipend, sufiicient fire- 
wood every year in good cord wood, he allowing six 
pence per cord, to bring it seasonably and cord it up 
in his yard. We engage also to furnish him yearly 
with ten sufficient loads of good hay if he need them 
at piice current among us, and to bring it in the 
summer time and also to supply him with sufficient 
fencing and good stuff which he may hereafter need, 
at a reasonable lay. We engage that there be conve- 
nient highways provided and legally stated, to the sev- 
eral parcels of land, which we have given him ; as to 



34: 

the five acres of meadow and the forty acres of upland, 
we bought of Benjamin Kimball. We do also engage 
that two men shall be chosen from year to year for the 
comfortable carrying on of his affairs, and that these 
two men shall have power to require any man at two 
days warning, according to his proportion, to help car- 
ry on his necessary husbandry work. We also engage 
that these agreements, together with any legal town acts, 
confirming the annual stipend and other concerns of our 
present minister, be duly and truely, in manner and 
kind as above specified without trouble to himself. 

This was voted and granted to be entered in the 
town's book, at a legal town meeting the 13th Janu- 
ary, 16 S2, as attests, Shubal Walker, Recorder.''^ 

During the time these things were doing by the town, 
those who intended to unite in church relation, Avere 
preparing themselves for this solemnity, as we learn from 
the following instrument, which they tailed an act of 
Pacification, viz: — 

"We, whose names are subscribed, being awfully sen- 
sible that we live in an age, wherein, God hath in part, 
executed the dreadful threatenings to take place in the 
earth, and wherein satan the great makebate and au- 
thor of contentions, doth by God's holy permission ex- 
ceedingl}^ rage even in the visible church of God, and 
wherein the wicked one is sowing the tares of discord 
almost in every christian society, (the sad effects of 
which, Ave who are the inhabitants of Bradford, have 
for some years past experimentally felt, and have yet 
the bitter remembrance thereof,) we being now (through 
the rich and undeserved mercy of God in Christ Jesus) 
under hopeful probability of setting up a church of 
Christ Jesus in Bradford, do take this occasion, as to ex- 
press our hearty and unfeigned sorrow and humiliation 
for what unchristian differences have broken forth among 
us, to the dishonor of God's name, the grief of his Spirit 
and to the obstiuctins: of the word and kinodom of 



35 

Jesus Christ among us, and to the hindering of our own 
peace and edification ; so also in the name of God and 
by his gracious help, seriously and solemnly do engage 
and promise for the future to forgive and forget, to the 
utmost of our endeavors, all former unchristian animos- 
ities, distances, alienations, differences and contests, pri- 
vate or more public, personal or social that have risen 
among us, or between us and other people, to pass a 
general act of amnesty and oblivion upon them all, and 
not to speak of them to the defamation of each other 
at home in Bradford town, much less abroad in any 
other place, nor to repeat or revive them, unless call- 
ed by scripture rule or lawful authority to mention 
them for the conviction or spiritual advantage of 
each other. Besides, we promise, tlirough the grace of 
God, that in case God in his most wise and holy prov- 
idence, should permit any offences for the future to break 
forth among us, (wliich we desire God, in his infinite 
mercy would prevent, as far as may be for his glory and 
our own good,) that we will then conscientiously en- 
deavour to attend scripture rules for the healing and re- 
moving them, and those holy rules in particular Levit. 
xix, 17, 18, Math, xviii, 15, &c. and so bring no matter of 
grievance against each other, to our minister and to 
our church, but in a scriptural and orderly way and 
manner. That we may be helped inviolably to observe 
this our agreement, we desire the assistance of each 
other's mutual, both christian and church watch, that 
we may be monitors or as it were remembrancers to 
each other of this branch of our covenant; as also through 
instant and constant pra3^ers of each other, that God would 
enable us carefully to observe this instrument of our 
pacification and our conditional obligation to church 
and order, that God's name may be honored by us, and 
we may experience God's connnanding his blessing upon 
us, even life forevermore. — Private fast, April 20, 1682, 
then was this vote passed." 



36 

Having thus as they hoped sanctified themselves, and 
all things being ready, they united together in fellow- 
ship the 27th of December 1682, the day Mr. Symmes 
was ordained. It is much to be regretted, that part of 
the covenant they took is. missing. What remains I 
will present to you. 

* * By the power of his Holy Spirit, in the ministry of 
his word, whereby we have been brought to see our 
misery by nature, our inability to help ourselves, and 
our need of a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom 
we desire now solemnly to give up ourselves, as to our 
only Redeemer, to keep us by his power unto salvation. 
And for the furtherance of the blessed work, we are 
now ready to enter into a solemn covenant with God 
and with one another, that is to say, we do give up our- 
selves' unto (rod whose name alone is Jehovah, as the 
only true and living God, and unlo the Lord Jesus 
Christ, his only son, who is the Saviour, Prophet, Priest 
and King of his church and Mediator of the covenant 
of grace and to his Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth 
and to bring us unto salvation at the last. We do also 
give up our offsprings unto God ia Christ Jesus, avouch- 
ins: him to be our God and the God of our children, 
humbly desiring him to bestow upon us that grace, 
whereby both we and they may walk before him as be- 
comes his covenant people forever. We do also give up 
ourselves one unto another in the Lord, according to 
the will of God, engaging ourselves to walk together as 
a right ordered church of Christ, in all the ways of his 
worship, according to the rules of his most holy word, 
promising in brotherly labor, faithfully to watch over 
one another's souls and to submit ourselves to the gov- 
ernment of Christ in his church, attending upon all 
liis holy administrations according to the order of the 
gospel, so far as God hath or may reveal it to us by 
liis word and Spirit. 



37 

Zacheri.vh Symmes, Samuel Haseltine, 

><J Samuel Stickney, John Hardy, 

John Tenny, Joseph Bailey, 

John Simmonds, Abraham Haseltine, 

William Huchence, X John Boynton, 
Joseph Palmer, John Walson, 

David Haseltine, Robert Haseltine, 

Richard Hall, ><! B. Kimball, 

X Thomas West, ><j Robert Savory. 

Mr. Symmes was the son of Zaclieriah Symmes min- 
ister of Charlestown, wlio came from England. Of his 
mother, Mr. Johnson, whose name we have had occa- 
sion to mention, observes, "that she was a godly woman. 
Her courage exceeded her stature, she bore every difficul- 
ty with cheerfulness, and raised up her ten children to 
people the American wilderness." It seems that after 
this, she must have had three more, for Mr. Symmes' 
Epitaph gives him five sons and eight daughters. 

Our Mr. Symmes was educated at Cambridge^ and 
graduated in 1637. He must have been a man of con- 
siderable note as well as learning, for he was one of the 
fellows of Harvard College, and I believe preached an 
Election Sermon. Judging from the church records, we 
have much reason to suppose, that he took heed to the 
ministry which he received of the Lord to fulfil it. And 
the work of grace was carried on through his instrument- 
ality; 126 were added to the church, and 238 were baptized 
during his ministry, which, considering the! then pop* 
ulation of the town, must be considered a goodly number. 
In 1705, as Mr, Symmes grew old and feeble, the town 
voted "to employ some one to help their beloved Pastor in 
the work of the ministry," and appointed Capt. David 
Haseltine and Ensign John Tenny, to go abroad and 
upon good information, invite some one to come and labor 
among them. This committee employed a Mr. Hale, who 

'^ The persons whose names have this mark prefixed to them^ signed thi s 
covenant by putting their marls; to it. 



38 

after a trial of a few Sabbaths, the town liked so well, 
they voted to employ him for a year, and to give him 
thirty pounds, his own board and horse keeping. The 
next year they voted to give him the same sum, and 50 
shillings more instead of keeping his horse, and dur- 
ing the year made his support in all, equal to 46 
pounds ; and it seems upon the whole, they intended to 
have settled him, for something like an expression of 
this passed in town meeting, but why it was never ac- 
complished is not known. In the year 1706, a difficulty 
arising between Mr. Symmes and the town, relative to 
some items in his salary, it was mutually agreed it should 
be left to council ; and Dea. Tenny, Dea. Bailey and 
Phillip Atwood were appointed to manage the business 
before the council, and afterwards Capt. David Hasel- 
tine and Lieut. Richard Kimball were added to the com- 
mittee, and for ought appears, the affair was amicably 
adjusted. Mr. Symmes was evidently greatly respected 
by the town, and his judgment much confided in. And 
it is nothing more than an act of justice to say, the 
town appear to have acted generously in the provision 
they made for his temporal comfort, and to have united 
readily with him in all his exertions to do good. 

Upon his tomb stone is the following Inscription. 
Conditum Hie Corpus Viri Veri Reverendi Zachaii 
Symmes College Harvardini Quondam Socii Evangelii 
Ministri Nati Omnigena Eruditione Ornati Pietate Vitae- 
que Sanctitate Maxime Conspicui Ecclaesiae christi Quae 
est Bradfordse per XL Annos Pastoris Vigilentissimi fui 
Commutavit Mortalem cum Innnortali Die XXII Mar- 
tii anno domini MDCCVII Aetatis Luci L^XI. 

After the death of Mr. Symmes, the town having 
made trial of his ministerial endowments, voted to give 
a Mr. Stearns a call to settle with them, and for his 
support to give him 60 pounds for the first four years, 
and 65 the remainder of his life, the improvement of the 



39 

parsonage, and thirty cords of wood. Why he did not 
accept is not mentioned. In July the 20th, 1708, the 
church voted to give Mr. Thomas Symmes, a son of 
their former minister, an invitation to settle with them, 
and the town voted the same day to concur with the 
church, and for his support to give him "both for quan- 
tity and quality" the same they had offered Mr. 
Stearns. He accepted the call and was installed De- 
cember 1708, about a year after his father's death. Mr. 
T. Symmes was born in Bradford, February 1678, and 
was graduated at Harvard College, where he received his 
education in 1698. He was a man of strong powers of 
mind and of very considerable learning ; often read in 
his family from the Hebrew Scriptures. He was the 
first minister in Boxford, ordained 1702, but was dis- 
missed from them in 1708, the same year he was in- 
stalled in this town. In early life his principles were 
not very strict, but he afterward embraced what are 
called the distinguishing doctrines of grace. He was 
a man of irritable if not of fiery passions, several 
instances are recollected in which liis feelings got alto- 
gether the control of him, but he made it a uniform 
habit, as soon as the heat of the moment was over, 
to confess his sin, and if in his passion he had said any 
thing offensive to others, to ask their pardon. He 
wanted economy in the management of his pecuniary 
concerns, for with a better salary than any of his neigh- 
bours, he lived and died poor. He Wanted prudence 
also in his intercourse with his people and in the mea- 
sures he recommended and adopted for the common 
good. As evidence of this, I will mention a rule which 
he prevailed with the church to adopt, declaring it to 
be disorderly and a crime to be punished for church 
members to lean their heads down on their pews or 
rest them on their hands during public worship. And 
he laboured much with the parish to get them to pass 
a resolution to have the doors of the meeting-house 



40 

closed the moment public worship commenced, and to 
suffer no one to come in after that. Though Mr. 
Syrames might go to extremes on these subjects, it must 
be felt tluit reformation is needed here and in most so- 
cieties in these particulars, and I hope a hint of this 
kind will never again be called for to secure, in your 
practice, all which decency and order requires in this 
house of God. Mr. Symmes was a good singer himself, 
and was very resolute to introduce regular singing among 
his people, who were not at this time accustomed to 
such kind of singing, however contrary to their preju- 
dices and inclinations. He wrote a kind of serio-jocose 
dialogue on the subject, which he published, and by 
these means raised a considerable party spirit in l)oth 
places of his settlement. He was a man of very popu- 
lar talents and made a figure in his profession. We 
may judge of his powers in the pulpit by what Rev. 
Mr. Coleman says of his election sermon preached 1720, 
"may it prove, says he, as profitable in the reading, as 
it was pleasant in the hearing, the preacher was unto us 
a very lovely song of one that has a pleasant voice, 
and can play well on an instrument." He was an uncom- 
monly faithful man in all the parts of the gospel min- 
istry, took special pleasure in giving instruction to the 
rising generation, published one sermon preached to the 
young men of his parish, which was much praised by 
Increase Mather, and which needs only to be read to 
be admired by all who have the things of religion at 
heart. He was very exact in self-examination, and spent 
much time in secret prayer, and was uncommonly anx- 
ious, and labored abundantly to have the church with- 
out spot and blemish or any such thine/, and all its mem- 
bers walk in the faith. He was in favour of Congre- 
gational church government and greatly approved of 
that part of the Cambridge platform which recommends 
the having ruling elders in the church ; and prevailed 
with his church to adopt that platform and to appoint 



41 

elders. His ministry was attended with great success 
both in animating and quickening and edifying profes- 
sors, and in awakening sinners, two or three consider- 
able revivals took place during his ministr3\ In 1720, 
sixty-four were added to the cliurch, forty-six of whom 
in three months, and twentj^-five in one day, and there 
was but one year which passed without considerable ac- 
cessions to the fold of Christ. Two hundred and sev- 
enty-three were received in the communion during his 
ministry. And on the 11th of June, two hundred and 
thirty-four persons united in commemorating their once 
crucified, but now risen Saviour, Avhich number consid- 
ering there were then but about two hundred families in 
town, I apprehend must have been very large even in 
those better days. Four hundred and seventy-four were 
baptized by him, and eighty-seven couples married. He 
died October 6th, 1725, aged 48, and the town voted 
fifty pounds to defray his funeral charges and continued 
for some time his salary to his Avidow. Besides those 
already mentioned, Mr. Symmes preached a sermon 
which he published. He also wrote and published an 
account of the figlit at Pigwaket.* 

Upon his tomb stone is the following Inscription. 

Rev. Thomas Symmes died October the 6th, 1725, 
aged 48. He was an eminent christian, very lovely in 
his life, and every way an accomplished minister, of 
great industrj^ fidelity and concern for the generation 
after, saying, while I live I will seek their good, when 
I die write on my grave, here lies one who loved and 
sought the good of the rising generation. 

In November following Mr. S. death, the town ap- 
pointed Dea. Haseltine and Richard Bailey a committee 
to supply the pulpit, who engaged for this purpose Mr. 
Joseph Parsons, of Brookfield, to whom the church, af- 
ter a time of trial, gave a call to settle with them in 

* The memoirs of the life and ministry of Mr. Symmes, written by Rev. 
John Brown, formerly of Haverhill, is an extremely interesting little book, 
A new edition was published in 1816. 



42 

the "work of the ministry, in which call the town con- 
curred February 18th, 1726, and agreed to give him for 
his support, one hundred pounds salary, one hundred 
settlement, the parsonage and dwelling-house ; and in 
April the same year, they added ten pounds more to 
his salary. Which offer he accepted and was ordained 
the 8th of June 1726. I have not been able to find any 
public account of his character and life. Those who 
knew him, speak of him as an amiable, pleasant man, a 
good public speaker, and as well liked by neighbouring 
societies. I should apprehend he was a man of less 
learning than his predecessors. His own people retain- 
ed their attachment to him till his death, which took 
place on the 4th of May 1765, in the 63d year of his 
age, and 39th of his ministry. He was a very fine pen- 
man, and kept the church records with uncommon ele- 
gance and accuracy. During his ministry 288 were add- 
ed to the church, 831 baptized, 176 married. In a mem- 
orandum attached to the church records, he observes, 
that the earthquake on the 29th October 1727, produc- 
ed a great effect upon the minds of his people, and was 
the means of awakening their attention to things of re- 
ligion. The same providence was followed with the 
same effect in this parish, and many were in conse- 
quence added to this church. Mr. Parsons preached 
the convention sermon in 1755, Math, v, 14, 15, 16. 

Upon his tomb stone is the following Inscription. 
This stone is placed over the dust of the Rev. 
Joseph Parsons, A. M. pastor of the first church in 
Bradford, as a testimonj^ of the esteem and regard 
his flock bore to him, as an excellent minister and a 
christian, prepared for a better world. He was fav- 
oured with a qnick and easy dismission from this, May 
4th, 1765, in the 63d year of his age, and 39th of his 
ministry. 

It was in June following the ordination of Mr. Par- 
sons, that this parish was set off, which event was in- 



43 

deed, in contemplation, at the time Mr. Parsons re- 
ceived his call, and which induced the people of this 
part of town to vote against his settlement, not as 
they declared that they had ought against the man or 
doubted his ministerial qualifications, but because, con- 
templating a separation, they wished this to take place 
first, so as not to be involved in the expense of set- 
tling a man whose ministry they did not expect to 
enjoy. 

Mr. Samuel Williams, of Waltham, succeeded Mr. 
Parsons in the Avest j^arish, he was ordained Nov. 20th 
1765, and continued till January 14th, 1780, when lie was 
dismissed in order to his accepting the professorship of 
Mathematicks and Natural Philosophy in Harvard Uni- 
versity. He was, I suppose, a man of more learning, 
than any other whose ministry this town has enjoyed. 
He was known as a literary character, not only in this 
but in other countries, among whom he is spoken of 
with respect for his philosophical enquiries and observa- 
tions. A circumstance took place at Cambridge which 
rendered his religious character questionable, but with 
the particulars of that unhappy transaction I am not ac- 
quainted. We should be careful not to form too decid- 
ed an opinion of a man's character from a single fault. A 
gentleman who was well acquainted with him in Ver- 
mont, and who spent a considerable time in his family, 
informed me, he spent his time in useful studies, much 
esteemed for his great attainments, and for his sober and 
orderly life. His history of Vermont has passed through 
two editions, and is one of the best w'orks of the kind, 
which have been written in this country. He died at Rut- 
land, in 1817. During his ministry, the work of the Lord 
went on in that parish, 67 were added to the church, 225 
baptized, and 85 married. He published while here, a 
sermon on repentance ; also a Thanksgiving sermon, 
Psalm cxxxvii, 5, 6, entitled, love of our country. 

Mr. Allen, the present minister followed him, and is 



44 

too well known by you to need any description of his char- 
acter, and too much respected to need any praise from 
me. He was ordained June 8th, 1781; since which time 
there have been two considerable revivals, one in the year 
1806, the other in 1812, which produced an observable 
change in the state of that people, as well as in the 
feelings and life of their venerable pastor. During his 
ministry, eighty -five have been added to the church, one 
hundred and eighty -one baptized, two hundred and one 
married. May God grant that he may still see the fruit 
of his labors, and many souls, among his people, gatliered 
into the fold of Christ, before he sleeps with- the gen- 
eration of the dead. I liave every reason to reverence 
and respect him for the very kind attention I have uni- 
formly received from him since my settlement in this 
place. 

This parish was, as we observed, set off and incorpo- 
rated in June 1726, immediately upon which the peo- 
ple set about erecting a house for public worship, and 
placed it as you all know, but a little distance from the 
one in which we are now assembled. The first parish 
meeting was held the 4th of July 1726 ; Samuel Tenny 
was moderator. On the 8th of November this year, they 
voted unanimously to invite Mr. William Balch to preach 
with them, and on the loth of March following, they 
gave him a call to settle with them, and for his support 
to give him one hundred pounds settlement, . one hun- 
dred pounds salary, the improvement of the parsonage 
house and lot ; and if at the end of four years Mr. Balch 
should signify under his own hand, that this was not 
enough for his comfortable support, they would add ten 
more, and if after experiment this was not found enough, 
they would add another ten pounds. Mr. Balch, after 
some alteration, mutually agreed on in the proposals, ac- 
cepted the call and was ordained accordingly. I do not 
know that 1 can gratify j^our expectations better in re- 
gard to the character of Mr. Balcli, and the circumstances 



45 

of his rainistiy in this phice, than to read to 3'ou the ac- 
count given in Eliot's Biographical Dictionary, which is 
as follows: — 

"William Balch, minister of the second church in Brad- 
ford, was born at Beverly in 1704. He possessed strong- 
powers of mind ; few of our New-England divines have 
surpassed him in clearness of perception, comprehension 
of understanding or soundness of judgment. The sim- 
plicity of his manners was peculiar, and he had a soft- 
ness and benevolence in his disposition, which he discov- 
ered on occasions, where most men would have been ir- 
ritated. He was graduated at Harvard College, 1724, or- 
dained 1728, and died 1792, aged 88. The first years of 
his ministry were spent in peace and harmony with his 
people, and the neighbouring churches. At length a spir- 
it of disorganization prevailed in many places, especially 
in the town near the Merrimack river. Nine members 
of Mr. Balch's church declared themselves dissatisfied with 
the preaching of their minister, and made a formal com- 
plaint to the brethren. The church thought the com- 
plaint unreasonable, and refused to act upon it. Hence 
the aggrieved party applied to a neighbouring church, to 
admonish their pastor and brethren, according to the di- 
rection of the platform, by the third umy of comynunion. 
The church voted to call a council of the neighbouring 
churches, and the result was signed by the moderator, the 
venerable John Barnard, minister of the first church in 
Andover, blaming the conduct of those who complaine^, 
and approved the doings of the church. Mr. Balch published 
the whole proceedings in a quarto pamphlet, containing 
the letters that passed between him and the fiist chuich 
in Gloucester, and the transactions of both cliurches, till 
the dispute was settled. This was printed in 1744. Two 
years after the parochial difference, Messrs. Wigglesworth 
of Ipswich, and Chipman of Beverly, made a serious at- 
tack upon their brother for propagating Arminian tenets, 
and wrote an able defence of the doctrines of Calvin, which 



46 

were generally the sentiments of the New-England plant- 
ers. It seems the former controvers}^ began in 1644, by a 
declaration of the aggrieved brethren, that "their pastor 
propagated doctrines, not agreeing with the confession of 
faith of these Congregational churches ; and also, that the 
church neglected the proper means of convicting said pas- 
tor -of his errors." The gentleman who wrote against him 
in 1746, had been assisting those who complained ; and 
they were not satisfied with the result of the council. 
Their work, however, had no other effect than to draw 
from Mr. B. a most able reply, in which he manifested a 
temper that, with all his meekness, could feel rebuke. 
There is [in it] much keen satire, mingled with sensible re- 
marks and solid argument. The separatists in Bradford, 
after this, built a meeting-house for themselves and the 
disaffected members of other churches. Mr. Balch lived 
to a good old age. His own flock esteemed and loved him, 
and when he was advanced in years settled a colleague 
He lived retired and was fond of husbandry, and the fruit 
of his orchard was said to be the best in the county of Essex. 
He was fond of the company of young men of talents, and 
had fine colloquial powers, especially in discussing theo- 
logical subjects. Being very desirous to read every thing 
upon Ethics and Metaphysics, he made many enquiries 
which discovered freedom of thought, and proved the en- 
ergy of his mind did not fail him in those years, when our 
strength is labour and sorrow. 

P. S. His publications are, a discourse upon self-right- 
eousness, in which he declares what are false confidences, 
from the pavable* of the Pliarisee and Publican, 1742 — 
election sermon, 1749. His account of the proceedings 
of the council and his rej^ly to Messrs. W. & C. make two 
pamphlets of more than fifty pages. 

I have but little to add to this account of Mr. Balch. So 
far as I am able to judge from the knowledge I have of 
Mr. Balch, and the circumstances of his ministry here, 
I am disposed to think the statement made in the above 



47 

extract, in regard to facts, is fair and correct, and will en- 
able those of you who have only heard of these things, to 
form as correct an idea about this venerable man, and 
the circumstances of his ministry, as anything which 
could be said in the limits allowed to a discourse. 

In regard to the sentiments which formed the subject 
of controversy between them, it will be of no importance 
for me to decide. All the parties have long since ap- 
peared before their judge. 1 should, however, think my- 
self faulty, did I not suppose I had given you an oppor- 
tunity of knowing my own views of these doctrines, 
for the correctness of which, I shall also have to give ac- 
count. 

So far as discipline was concerned, the simple question 
between the parties to be decided is, whether those of the 
church and neighbourhood, who were in sentiment Gal- 
vinistic, had a right, according to the then allowed organ- 
ization of the church, to deal with Mr. Balch and other 
members of the churcli, who they thought were Armin- 
ian? And in the decision of this question it is to be pre- 
sumed, there will be now, as there certainly was then, 
a diversity of sentiment. Before the death of Mr. Balch, 
several of his opponents became reconciled to him. One 
of them came to him and made formal and humble ac- 
knowledgment that he had wronged him, and from the 
character of Mr. Balch, we have no reason to question, 
but he heartily forgave him. 

The last days of Mr. Balch, were calm and serene, and 
with the expression, "Come Lord Jesus, I am ready," he 
fell asleep. 

It may not be uninteresting to know, that Mr. Balch 
was a descendant of Mr. John Balch, one of the first settlers 
in Beverly, who moved there from Dorchester, concerning 
whom Rev. Mr. White, one of the cliief founders under God 
of the Massachusetts Colony, says, "he was an honest and 
good man." Beside the publications mentioned above, Mr. 
Balch published a sermon preached at the formation of the 



48 

second church in Rowley, entitled "The dut}^ of a christ- 
ian cliurch to manage their affairs with charity," 1 Cor. 
xvr. 14. And also a sermon preached before the conven- 
tion of Congregational ministers. 

His tombstone has the following inscription. 

Erected to the memory of the Rev. William Balch, 
first pastor of the church in this place, who departed this 
life January the 12th, A. D. 1792, and in the 88th year of 
his age, and Glth of his ministry. 

After Mr. Balch, through the infirmities of age become 
unable to discharge the duties of a pastor, an arrangement 
was made for settling a colleague, several candidates were 
employed, one of whom Mr. Chaplin from Rowley, now of 
Groton, received an invitation to setttle, and gave an an- 
swer in the affirmative. But as objections rose up before 
his ordination, a council was called and he was released. 
There was nothing however in these objections which bore 
unfavourably upon the ministerial character of Mr. Chap- 
lin. The effect of this was, as might have been expected, 
the parish was divided into parties, and a great many 
persons were heard upon trial, before one was found in 
whom they could unite. But at length he who giveth 
pastors, through the instrumentality of the committee of 
supplies, brought Mr. Ebenezer Dutch to this place. His 
first sermon from the text, "buy the truth and sell it not," 
pleased all and united all. And in the beginning of the 
year 1779, both church and parish gave an unanimous vote 
for his settlement, with the exception of an individual, 
who said he voted against him to take off the curse pro- 
nounced against those of whom all speak well. A great 
abuse certainly of the real intention of that scripture. Mr. 
Dutch accepted the invitation, and was ordained Novem- 
ber 17, 1779. 

Mr. Dutch was born in Ipswich, was graduated at Prov- 
idence College in 177G. So far as books are concerned, 
I suppose though respectable, he had less learning than 



49 

any of his predecessors. He was a man however of an 
active, ready mind, possessed naturally great powers of 
speech, and when his feelings were particularly engaged, 
was as one certainly able to judge says, a man of "empas- 
sioned eloquence," and could without preparation hold 
forth on any subject connected with his profession, with 
great ease to himself and much to the satisfaction of his 
hearers. He was a man of quick feelings, and was in con- 
sequence often put off his guard. This produced excen- 
tricities, and contradictions, and irregularities in his con- 
duct. And all will lament to say or think, that he engaged 
for a time too much in speculations of a worldly nature, 
a circumstance which proved injurious not only to his 
name but finally to his estate. But he that repenteth and 
forsaketh his sin shall find mercy. No one was more sensi- 
ble of his mistake, sin if you will have it so, than Mr. Dutch 
himself finally became, and certainly no one more sorry 
for it. Most of you will recollect the sermon he preached 
from these words, "cut it down why cumbereth it the 
ground," after he became sensible of his errors, and also 
the acknowledgments he made on this occasion. His con- 
victions were followed by amendment of life, for if in the 
middle part of his ministry the cares of this world occupied 
too much of his time, there was a most thorough reform, 
and no one could well be more diligent and faithful than he 
was the few last years of his life ; and God be blessed he was 
permitted to see the fruits of his labour. Many in this 
place must acknowledge him as their father in Christ. 
His death as you all know, was very sudden, but the little 
time spared him, after he felt its approach, was spent in 
personal devotion, in words of exhortation, of comfort 
and reproof to those who came around him according as 
their particular circumstances seemed to require. He de- 
parted this life the 5th of August, 1813, aged 62, in the thir- 
ty-fourth year of his ministry. During his ministry there 
were 147 which were received to the church, 218 married. 
He did not keep an account of baptisms, a circumstance 



50 

much to be regretted. He must have administered this ordi- 
nance to about three hundred. Mr. Dutch published 
two sermons, one preached at the dedication of this house, 
the other after the death of the first Mrs. Dutch. 

His tomb stone has the folloiving Inscription. 
Rev. Ebenezer Dutch departed this life, August 4th, 
1813, aged 62. 

Ak priests of old, so christian pastors die, 

But Christ the Lord, the great High Priest on high, 

And the good Shepherd, ever lives to save 

Those, for whose ransom, his own blood he gave, 

His church, he ever will defend and feed, 

And bring to endless life, a numerous seed, 

Those pastors, will a crown of glory wear. 

Who feed his lambs and sheep with faithful care. 

Your present pastor was ordained the 28th of Septem- 
ber, 1814. Since his coming among you, to Januar}^ this 
year, there have been 33 added to the church, 47 infants 
and 12 adults baptized, 70 deaths, 200 births, and 34 mar- 
riages. 

I should be considered guilty of an important omission 
did I not give some account of singing as it has been 
performed in our churches. A special attention to this 
lovely part of public worship was excited by the younger 
Symmes. Till his time the practice was to read one or 
two lines and then to sing them. A practice which 
prevailed universally in the early settlement of this coun- 
try. He prevailed with the people to alter their practice 
in this respect, and was so happy by his exertions as to 
excite an attention, indeed to create a taste for this part 
of worship, which has in a degree continued to the pres- 
ent time. Perhaps few towns have been favored for 
a longer time with decent performance of this duty. In 
this parish, I do not know but in both since the division 
of the town, there has been a greater union of feeling 
and harmony of action,, than is always found among 
those who join in this service. I have not learned of 
more than one considerable interruption of this good feel- 
ing in this parish since its incorporation. And tliis con- 



51 

troversy was soon~settled to the mutual and general sat- 
isfaction by some wise regulation adopted by the parish. 
There is now a large number of persons well acquainted 
with the rules of this science, and several who, if occa- 
sion called, could with great credit, take the lead in the 
choir. For this we are in a great measure indebted to 
the exertions and skill of the one who has, for many 
years, had the conduct of singing in this place. To 
whom this society is under great obligations for the part 
he has taken in this business, and I apprehend the pub- 
lic acknowledgment of this sentiment is nothing more 
than what is his just due.* 

I should not however leave proper impressions of my 
ideas concerning the style of our music, did I not ob- 
serve there is in it a degree of harshness, perhaps I ought 
to add noise, which very much diminishes the pleasure, 
if not the moral and religious effects which would other- 
wise be received from it. I know there are exertions 
now making to remedy this evil, and as all seem sensi- 
ble of the need of reformation, I cannot but hope these 
exertions will be followed with the most perfect success. 

Having thus called to your recollection some of the 
most important and interesting events connected with the 
history of this town, most of them, I know, important 
and interesting to none but ourselves, I shall conclude 
with a few observations which seem to arise from the 
subjects before us. And 

1st. The people in this town have the greatest reason 
for gratitude for the good and pleasant land which the 
Lord their God has given them. Very few people are 
more favored in this respect than the people of this 
place. When they sow their seed it does really fall 
into that good ground which bringeth forth, some thirty, 
some sixty, and some a hundred fold. But it is not only 
those who get their riches from the increase of the field, 
who have reason to say their lines have fallen to them 
* Captain Phineas Ilardy. 



52 

in pleasant places, for such is the nature of business 
here, that all who are disposed may find full employ- 
ment, and employments suited to their capacities whether 
in the dawn of life, or arrived to the strength and 
vigour of manhood, or sinking under the infirmities of 
age. There may be places where large possessions can 
be more readily acquired, but I question whether there 
is one in this commouAvealth, where means of comforta- 
ble living can be more easily obtained, or indeed where 
they are more generally enjoyed. And it would be easy 
by the mention of individuals, to support the declaration, 
that here also the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 
If these things are so, and I appeal to all sober minded 
and considerate persons for the truth of them, I would 
ask whether, except in instances of real misfortunes, 
those who are destitute of things necessary and conven- 
ient, have not great reason to look for the real cause, 
in some fault or folly of their own. 

2d. From the care this town has taken to select out 
and appoint to office men of good report, those who looked 
not only to their own things, but also to the things of 
others, the public concerns of this town have been wisely 
and prudently conducted ; very few instances occur, from 
the earliest settlement to the present time, of any con- 
siderable default in any of the officers in the town. And 
in consequence of the measures the town has at differ- 
ent times adopted to preserve order in their assemblies, 
the meetings for the transaction of town and parish 
business, have generally been decent and orderly, thus 
affording all present an opportunity to see and hear what 
was doing and of acting understandingly, in the parts 
they took in the various business brought before them. 
And though in the various transactions of the town 
for 170 years, there must have been in many instances 
a diversity of sentiment and judgment, yet ujion the 
whole there is upon the records great evidence of a gen- 
eral disposition to think and act together. 



53 

3d. From what the town has done to furnish instruc- 
tion to the rising generation. A knowledge competent 
to the conduct of the common concerns of life, has been 
acquired by most who have lived in this town, and there 
have always been a competent number of well instructed 
persons, able to transact all the business of the town 
in a correct and orderly way. The public records have 
been well kept, and I should be guilty of an omission 
did I not observe this has been particularly the case 
since they have been in the hands of the present clerk, 
who has served the town in this office about twenty 
years.* And though there have not risen many men, 
strictly called great, yet there have been those respectable 
in the councils of the State, and distinguished on the bat- 
tle ground. Tnere have also been and still are in the 
several professions, men whom the town calls her sons, 
with whose standing in life she has much reason to be 
satisfied. 

4th. From the part the town, in common with others, 
took in the great enterprise which gave independence to 
these United States, you enjoy a free government, equal 
laws, and a mild administration ; your personal, civil 
and religious lights are all secured to you; your nobles 
are of yourself, and yonr governours proceed from the 
midst of you. There is indeed no other nation upon the 
globe, where the people are so free and happy, where 
the means of comfortable, I may say genteel subsistence, 
can be so generally acquired, or where every one has 
so full and unrestrained an opportunity of directing his 
talents and labors in the way and to the purposes most 
agreeable to himself. 

5th. In consequence of the exertions which the people 
of this town have made, to enjoy in a decent and com- 
fortable way, the ordinances of religion, they have been 
furnished with convenient places for holding their reli- 
gious assemblies. Six houses have been erected for this 

* Williftm Greenough, Esq. 



54 

purpose, two by the town, while they worshipped to- 
gether, one by the west parish, two by this parish, and 
one by those who separated from tliis because of their 
disaffection to Mr. Bulch. Three of these like those 
who worshipped in them, have fallen under the weight 
of years. Two of them are now standing in this town, 
and afford convenience to those who are disposed to 
worship God in company, and so prepare for a better 
country, where the righteous will find a building not 
made with hands, eternal and in the heavens, large 
enough for the whole congregation of the just. 

6. The people have not only had houses for public 
worship, they have had ministers of the Lord also, to 
lead in the services of these sanctuaries. Very few years 
I believe, hardly seven in the whole, since 1668, have 
passed, but the people have beheld their teacher. And 
even during the short intervals which have passed, be- 
tween the removal of one and the settlement of another 
pastor, the pulpits have been so supplied, that for 170 
years, hardly a sabbath has passed, but the word of 
God has been read and explained in the public congrega- 
tions of the people, and I shall be sup]3orted by all 
who have knowledge on the subject, when 1 say for the 
most part, by those who were able to teach and wil- 
ling to wait on .the things of the ministry. If there is 
any advantage then in the constant enjoyment of an able 
and faithful ministry, this town has had it as fully, I 
presume, as any other town in the Commonwealth. 
What improvement individuals have made of the price 
thus put into their hands to get wisdom, must be left 
to the decision of the great day. That there are real 
and substantial benefits connected with the ministry of 
the word and ordinances, is as certain as the word of 
God and the history of the church can make it. Both 
the word of God and the history of ages, teach us that, 
faith Cometh hy hearing^ and that by the foolishness of 
preaching it pleases God to save those that are lost. The 



55 

records of our churches bear evidence, that this ordi- 
nance of the Lord has not been in vain in this phice. 
For previous to the separation of the town into parishes, 
there were 399 gathered into the visible church ; since that 
time 333 have been added to tlie church in the west 
parish, 542 to that in this, making 1284 in all. While 
the town worshipped together there were 837 baptized, 
since that 1175 have been served with this ordinance in 
the west parish ; and. if our calculations concerning the 
number baptized by Mr. Dutch be correct, sometliing 
more than a 1000 in this, making together more than 3000. 
Of those who have made profession of religion, about 
1100 had received the ordinances of baptism in infancy, 
the remainder, amounting to about 184, were baptized 
upon profession. And now, in review of these facts let 
us, with the full impression of the immense value of 
souls upon our minds, ask ourselves whether the hope- 
ful piety of 1284 persons, who actually professed reli- 
gion together with those who may have obtained a sav- 
ing interest in Christ, but did not, from various causes, 
unite outwardly with his visible kindom, and also the 
baptism of nearly half of all who have lived and died 
in this place, is not more than a hundred fold reward 
for all the expense the town has been at, to support the 
worship and ordinances of God. Or even, if you suppose 
many may have professed the name of Christ, who not- 
withstanding had not received him into their hearts, 
would not those who remain after all the deductions 
that you can think ought to be made, be a more than full 
return for all that has been done in this place, to pro- 
mote the salvation of souls. 

7. And to the question, What profit is there in baptism? 
do not the records of our churches reply as an apostle 
did in relation to another ordinance, whose real design 
bore a striking resemblance to this? Much every way. 
About one third of all, who have in this town been served 
in early life with this ordinance, have in mature age 



56 

made a profession of faith in Christ in some of our 
churches. It is known also that many, who received this 
ordinance in this place, have professed Christ in other 
towns to which they hud in the providence of God re- 
moved. Above three hundred are still living, concern- 
ing whom both the promises of God and the past history 
of our churches, justify us in the hope that many of them 
will, at some time, do better things than to continue in un- 
belief. While from among a greater number who had 
not this seal of the covenant put upon them, something 
short of two hundred have in after life confessed Christ 
before men. I make these observations in relation to 
facts connected with the history of redeeming love in 
this place — facts too, which call for the serious consid- 
eration of all who make the things of religion the sub- 
ject of their concern ; bearing in my own breast, at the 
same time feelings of good will towards those who diifer 
from me, in regard to the requirement of God respecting 
the proper subject of this ordinance. And I hope I shall 
be believed when I sa}^ it is my earnest prayer that all 
in this place, who love the Lord Jesus Christ, may 
really love one another, and so doing we shall have 
reason to hope, if in anything we be differently minded, 
G-od ivill in due time reveal even this unto us. 

8. But when we have the greatest reason to thank 
God because so much good has resulted from the enjoy- 
ment of his ordinances in this town, we have also reason 
for the deepest regret that so many have apparently 
neolected this salvation. The whole number who have 
lived and died or do still live in this town, according to the 
best counting I can make, is about 7000, of whom, as we 
have already mentioned, rJ84 have made open profes- 
sion of having obtained a saving interest in the Lord 
Jesus Christ. If we should reduce this number, by tak- 
ing from it all, who ma^' have been suspected of having 
a name to live, while they were really dead, and compare 
what are left with those who made no pretentions to re- 



57 

ligion, and those the world judged to have none, what a 
striking illustration shall we have of the words of the 
Saviour, That wide is the gate and broad is the way that 
leadeth to destruction and many there he that go in thereat ; 
while strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth 
U7ito life and few there be that find it. A number may 
be considerable in itself, and yet comparatively small, 
and such is the case in relation to those who have in 
this town professed an interest in Christ ; 128J: persons 
gathered into his visible kingdom, and in charitable hope 
saved from wrath through him, is such a display of di- 
vine goodness and such an overflowing return for all 
that has been done here to promote his cause, we can nev- 
er sufficiently adore His unspeakable grace, whose Spirit 
has done all this. And yet how lamentable to reflect, a 
number five fold greater have neglected the offers of sal- 
vation. Does it not, my friends, seem strange that so 
many, who lived before you, with all the advantages they 
enjoyed for acquainting themselves with God so as to be 
at peace with him ; advantages too, which others im- 
proved to their salvation, should notwithstanding con- 
tinue impenitent and unbelieving ; and is it not equally 
strange that you, who are this day without faith, should 
walk in the same way of unbelief. Your advantages for 
attending to the concerns of your souls are great, and 
your opportunities for religious instruction numerous ; 
what reasons then have you for thus neglecting the offers 
of recovering mercy and pardoning grace ? Or what is 
there in your case, which in the place of torment will 
prove any such alleviation to your sufferings as to justify 
you in the present neglect of this great salvation. The 
space afforded you to make your peace witli God is 
passing swiftly away. Consider the former generations. 
Our fathers where are they ? Four generations since 
the settlement of this town all sleep the sleep of death. 
Of the fifth but here and there one remains to tell us of 
the years that are past, while those of the sixtli pass for 



58 

old men and old women among us. And the prophets, do 
they live for ever ? Six, who have ministered here in 
hol^'^ things, have been gathered, to the fathers, all but 
one of whom slumber in the same ground with those who 
received instruction from their lips. These all rest from 
their labours, and their works have followed them. And 
you, my friends, will soon sleep in the same dust. Give all 
diligence then to make your calling and election sure. For 
though they sleep, though the earth has received them 
out of our sight, and the grave has closed upon them, 
the Lord hath his eye upon them, counts their numbers, 
weighs all their dust in a balance, writes all their mem- 
bers in his book ; not a part will be lost, not an indi- 
vidual will be overlooked, not one be left unrecovered 
from the ground ; — they will all rise and come forth out 
of their graves, and you will rise also and come forth 
out of your graves, and we shall all meet at the judg- 
ment seat of Christ. At that time and at that place, you 
will meet with all, whose names have been called to 
recollection this day, and all, who have lived in this 
town, and indeed with all, who have lived in all other 
towns, states and kingdoms. What a solemn and inter- 
esting day ! The Judge of quick and dead will then be 
upon his seat, the books open, the trumpet sounding, the 
universe assembling. Towns and parishes, their pastors 
as their leaders, in company approaching the final tri- 
bunal ; heaven and hell, the everlasting dwellings of the 
righteous and the wicked, in view, and nothing remain- 
ing but the awful sentence to be pronounced, and the 
condition of all is fixed for ever 

" A point of time, a moment's space, 
Removes us to yon heavenly' place, 
Or locks us up in hell." 

My friends, is it not prudent to prepare beforehand 
for this solemn, interesting day ; and, since all your ac- 
tions are written in the book of the chronicles kept in 



59 

heaven, to see that your names are also recorded in the 
book of life. 

Now UNTO Him that is able to keep you from 

PALLING AND TO PRESENT YOU FAULTLESS BEFORE THE 
PRESENCE OF HiS GLORY WITH EXCEEDING JOY, TO 
THE ONLY WISE GOD OUR SaVIOUR BE GLORY AND 
MAJESTY, DOMINION AND POWER BOTH NOW AND FOR 
EVER. — AMEN. 



ERRATA. 

Page 8, 7th line from the top, for 1700, read 1750 

Page 15, 3d line from the top, for have been given orders^ read ordtrs 
have been given. 

Page 53, 2d line from the top, for to January this year, read in Janu- 
ary that year. 



APPENDIX, 

Containing a number of interesting facts, some omitted 
by mistake in copying the discourse for the press, others 
of such a nature, as could not well be introduced into 
the body of the discourse, and a few not known at the 
time. 

1. The first person born in Rowley, on record, was 
Edward Carlton, born 1639, ancestor of those of that 
name in this town. The other persons born this year, 
were Thomas Migall, ancestor of the first Mrs. Dutch, 
Jonathan Lambert, Jonathan Remmington, and Mary 
Jackson. William Tenny, the great grandfather of our 
Deacon Tenn}^, was born 1640, and was chosen Deacon 
in 1667 ; and it is a circumstance worthy of notice, that 
there have been in our churches of his descendants, per- 
sons bearing that office, from that time to the present 
day ; and several of the same family have held the same 
office in other churches. In October, 1639, Robert and 
Anna Haseltine were married ; tlie first couple on record. 
November 14, 1682, Anah widow of Robert Haseltine 
and Anah widow of Thomas Hardy, were received into 
the church in this town ; and were as a note attached 
to the church records by Mr. Symmes, informs us, the 
first received by confession. The first birth recorded 
in this town, is that of Martha Wilford, daughter of 
Gilbert Wilford, born January 18th, 1671. The first 
death recorded, is that of John Simmonds", son of John 
Simmonds, July 20th, 1671. The first marriage, is that 
of William Hardy and Ruth Tenny, May 3d, 1678. 
The first person baptized, was Hannah, daughter of 
John and Hannah Boynton, December 11th, 1682. 



61 

2. The following persons have held the office of Dea- 
con in this town. 

Time of appotntmeni. Names. Deceased. -Age. 

David Haseltine, ^ | . 
Woodman, | 5~ 
1712 Richard Bailey, V|| 
1712 Samuel Tenny, .■$!«" 

1718 Hall. J g|| 

IN THE WEST PARISH. 

1728 Moses Day, 

1730 Joseph Hall, 

1780 Thomas Kimball, 

Thomas Carlton, 

1745 David Walker, 

1750 Moses Day, 

1754 Stephen Kimball, 

1762 Obediah Kimball, 

1797 Richard Walker, 

1804 John Griffin, 

1806 John Hasseltine, 

IN THE EAST PAEISH. 

1727 Richard Bailey, 

1728 William Hardy, died 1747. aged 81 
1747 Jonathan Tenny, 

1759 Nathaniel Jewett, removed to Hollis. 

1764 Timothy Hardy, Obt. 1777, small pox. 

1764 Phillip Tenny, Obt. 1783. aged 77 

1777 William Balch, 

1779 Thomas Tenny, 
Phineas Carlton, 

1797 William Tenny, 

1804 Daniel Stickney, 

1806 Thomas Morse. 

It is apprehended this is considerably short of a full 
catalogue of those who have held the office of Deacon 
in this town, particularly of those who were in office be- 
fore the town was divided into parishes. Such is the 
writing of the first Mr. Symmes, I have not been able 



62 

yet to decypher but a part of the records made by him, and 
since his day there must have been a deficiency in record- 
ing the names of those called to the office of Deacon, 
as I have found from enquiry, the names of some who 
are not upon record, or I have been so unfortunate, after 
repeated search, as not to notice them. In the conclusion 
of this article, it becomes my pleasing duty to remark, 
that, from all the enquiry that I have made, and from 
the evidence afforded by the records of the church, there 
is the greatest reason to believe, that most or all who 
have been appointed to this office, have been men of 
honest re'port^ full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom., who 
used the office of a Deacon well. 

March the 18th, 1718, Richard Bailey and Samuel 
Tenn}^ were, agreeably to the recommendation of the 
Cambridge platform, appointed to the office of ruling 
Elders. Of the former of these I have no particular 
knowledge, farther than what may safely be inferred 
from a declaration which Mr. T. Symmes has left on 
record, as what he himself said to the church when as- 
sembled to appoint persons to this office ; that he "would 
be content if they would appoint the two aged deacons 
to the office of Elders," of whom Mr. Bailey was one. 
Of Elder Tenny, who was the other, and who upon the 
division of the town into parishes, was appointed to the 
same office in this church, it would be easy to write a 
considerable of a volume, filled with interesting circum- 
stances. He was, I apprehend, both by nature and 
grace, one of the most distinguished men this town and 
ever produced ; and as he grew old, was truly patri- 
archal. The old people, now living, who knew him in 
some of his last years, recollect with pleasure and thank- 
fulness, the good instruction he gave them in early life. 
He could write in short hand, and was in the habit of 
taking off the sermons he heard, and used to spend the 
intermission on sabbath days, in reading these over to 
tlie people who stayed at the meeting-house, in praying 



63 

with them, and in communicating to them good and 
wholesome instruction. As he deserved, so he received 
the respect and confidence of the town, being in most of 
its concerns, preferred to those offices which were con- 
sidered the most respectable or involved the greatest 
trust. One anecdote I shall record not because it is the 
most interesting that might be presented, but because it 
may be instrumental in calling the attention of some, 
especially of the rising generation, to a circumstance 
which perhaps they do not sufficiently think of. The 
old gentleman had a plum tree standing by the road a 
little out of sight from the house which on a certain year, 
bore pretty fully ; about the time these were ripe, a 
young man of the neighborhood passing by and think- 
ing no one was in siglit, gave the ti-ee a shake and then 
with great haste went to picking up the plums which 
fell to the ground. At this moment the old gentleman 
providentiall}^ came out. But before he had said any 
thing, the young man under all the embarrassment of 
the moment, began to make his excuse and plead as an 
apology for what he was doing, that he had shaken the 
tree but oiiee. To which the old gentleman made this 
simple reply, that if every one should do the same, that 
he himself should not be able to shake even oiice. This 
reply, while it suggests an interesting truth, is said to 
have had a most salutary effect upon the youth. And 
I hope that its repetition here ma}^ serve, as one in- 
ducement among others, to prevent the rising generation 
from exposing themselves to the chagrin which this trans- 
gressor must have experienced. Elder Tenny's house 
was just below Mr. Nathaniel Wallingfords. 

3. The town's expense in 1720, was 601. 16.s. 4c?. in 
1820, 900L average for the ten years past, 2700 dollars. 
From which circumstance may be known, in some de- 
gree, the increase of wealth in this place, for the last 
hundred years. It does not appear that the tax now is 



64 

greater according to the value of property than it was 
then. 

The average expense for maintaining the poor, the 
last 10 years, has been 839 dollars. f 

The following circumstance will give some idea of 
the increase in the value of land. Before Thomas Kim- 
ball moved into this town, probabl}^ about the year 1660 
or a little after, he was driving a herd of cattle through 
on his way to Haverhill or Hampstead, when he was 
met by one of the land holders in this place, probably 
Haseltine, who oifered to take his cattle 
at a generous price, and to let him have land upon the 
river at eight pence an acre in exchange. 

4. First Settlers. — This town was at first laid out in 
lots, running from the river to what is now called the 
Rowley line. These lots were of different widths, but 
the boundaries of most of them are easily discoverable 
by the course of the fences. And a sufficient number 
of them are still in the possession of the descendants 
of the first inhabitants, to give any one much acquainted 
in town, an idea sufficiently accurate of the place where 
the first people lived, and the land they occupied. We 
will repeat tlieir names in order, beginning at the east 
end of the town. These were Joseph Richardson, Jonas 
Platts, John Hopkinson, Joseph Bailey, Edward Wood, 
* Benjamin Savory, William Hutchens, * Ezra Rolf, 
Samuel Tenney, Frances Jewett, Samuel Wooster. 
His lot was the one on which Mr. William Balch now lives. 
Next to this was that of Samuel Stickney. Then followed 
that of *John and *William Hardy, brothers ; who it is 
said came into this country in the family of Gov. Win- 
throp as labourers. But he, not finding business for 
them, gave them at first land at Ipswich, but as they 

f Since the writing of this discourse, the town has purchased a house 
and farm for the use of the poor, where it is i)resuiDed they will he made 
more comfortable, and the expense of maiataining be less than formerly. 



65 

did not like the soil, lie gave them leave to come to 
this town, and famished them with their patent. Their 
house stood jnst back of Mr. David Mardin's, where 
the cellar may now be seen. Next to them was the 
Phillips Patent, settled by Abraham and Daniel Parker, 
cousins ; the former born in Rowley, the other from 
Chelmsford. Their house stood almost in the same i:)lace 
that Stephen Parker's well now occupies. Next to them 
was the Carleton patent. They lived near the Mills de- 
scribed before. Then was the Haseltine Patent ex- 
tending from near the mouth of Johnson's Creek to 
Chadwick's Ferry, and was settled by Thomas Kimball, 
whose place of residence we have already described, 

* William Jackson, *David Hazeltine, Shubel Walker, 
*Abraham Haseltine and Capt. Woodman. Then 
followed the lots of Thomas West, whose house stood 
near where Abijah Gage now lives, and that of John 
Boynton and John Griffin. Next to them and extend- 
ing to Andover line, was the patent of John Day, 
whose house was the fourth built in the West Parish. 
On his lot were three original settlers, beside himself, 

* Nehemiah Carlton, * Richard Hale and * Alexander 
Campbell. The land on the Neck, so called, was pa- 
tented to * Philip Atwood and John Head., Abraham 
Gage, John Annis and Samuel Kimball settled • with 
them. 

5. The following are the names of Pliysicians, who 
have resided in this place. It is not known that they 
stand in the order of life. Bailey, John Bishop, 

from Ireland, Ezekiel Chace, Benjamin Muzzy, John 
Tenny, who died with the small pox, Seth Jewett, Eli- 
jah Proctor, Manley Hardy, Ebenezer Jewett died in 
1817, and Dr. Benjamin Parker and Jeremiah Spoiford, 
the present practioners. 

JVoie. It is not absolutely certain though highlj' probable that the 
christian names having this mark * are correct. 



66 

6. There is a Post-office in this town opened in 1811, 
and was granted at the instance of Benjamin Parker, 
Esq. Such are the arrangements at present in this of- 
fice, that the people in both Parishes are almost as 
well accommodated as though there was one in both 
places. 

7. In addition to the mechanics already enumerated, 
we ought to mention, that the town is well furnished 
with well-taught carpenters, blacksmiths, masons and 
painters. And indeed with tradesmen of almost every 
description, whose personal services are needed in com- 
mon life, and it is with real satisfaction, that I add, 
that the most of them are men of industrious habits and 
sober lives. 

8. Peat, and of a very good quality, abounds in this 
town. • Large and increasing quantities of it are cut 
every year. And such is the extent of tlie meadows, 
that there is the fullest reason to Ijelieve, people of many 
generations will be supplied with good fuel without any 
considerable advance from the present price. It is more- 
over the opinion of good judges on the subject, that the 
quantity of wood has not diminished but rather in- 
creased for the 30 years past. And a few, among whom 
is Mr. Daniel Spofford, have commenced the cultivation 
of wood, by sowing, on suitable land, acorns, walnuts, 
&c., an example, which it will undoubtedly be wise for 
those to follow who have rough and waste land. 

The soil in this town is, as has been oljserved, gener- 
ally good ; it is also much benefitted by the large quan- 
tities of salt hay, which are yearly brought into town ; 
but its produce might still be greatly increased by the 
proper use of Plaster of Paris. And it is not a little sur- 
prising, after what is known on the subject, that this arti- 
cle is so little used in this town and vicinity. I have found 
it of the greatest service in my garden. It is well known 



67 

r 

that Mr. David How, of Haverhill, who so far as the 
cultivation of land is concerned, is not only one of the 
greatest but best farmers in this part of the county, 
makes great use of and finds it of great service. And 
why should it not be equally beneficial to others, and 
if so why not use it ? 

9. 31eeting Houses. When the first meeting-house 
was built I have not been able to ascertain. It must 
have been, as appears from circumstances, several years 
before the first meeting of the town on record. In 1705 
a vote passed to build a new meeting house, 48 feet long 
and 42 broad ; but it was afterwards voted it should be 
40 feet wide and 20 feet between plate and sill ; and 
Capt. David Haseltine, John Chadwick and Ensign Jo- 
seph Bailey were appointed a committee to inquii-e al)Out 
the expense of such a building, and Capt. Haseltine, 
Cornet Richard Kimball, and John Hutchins a commit- 
tee to carry on the building. 

In 1726, the year the town was divided into parishes, 
this parish built their first meeting-house. Standing as 
you all know, but a little distance from the one in which 
we now worship. 

In 1790 the one in which we now worship was built. 
The committee entrusted with the direction of this were 
Bradstreet Parker, Phineas Carlton, William Balch, 
Samuel Adams, Retier H. Parker, Thomas Morse and 
Peter Russell. The contractors were Phineas Carleton, 
Ebenezer Hopkinson, Silas Hopkinson, Edward Sargent ; 
and the sum for which they undertook it was X6C2 8 ; 
and it is no more than justice to say, the plan does 
great credit to the committee who contrived it, and the 
work to those who performed it. It is certaiidy a very 
convenient and neatly finished house. I wish I could 
add, that it was in all respects in that state of perfect 
repair which a true regard to beaut}' and economy really 
requires. 



68 

About the year 1750 those who separated from this 
Parish bought a meeting-house in Rowley, and moved 
it into the east part of the town, where they met, for 
some time, for religious services. This building has since 
been removed, and is now improved by the Baptist so- 
ciety in Rowley. 

The west parish built their present meeting-house in 
1751. The committee appointed to attend to the build- 
ing of this were Benjamin Gage, Daniel Thurston, Na- 
thaniel Gage, Josiah Chandler and Moses Gage. 

10. It was observed in the discourse, that this town 
was always ready and did in reality bear its full pro- 
portion of the expense and labour of the revolutionary 
war. One instance of the remarkable preservation of 
the lives of those, from this town, in the day of battle, 
is worthy of being recorded. Capt. Nathaniel Gage, with 
a company of 40 men from this town was in the Bat- 
tle at Bunker Hill, and in a place much exposed to the 
enemy, an yet not a life was lost. This company had 
been instructed in military manoeuvres by an Ergiish 

deserter who is still living in H '-. And was one of 

the best disciplined and most effective companies engaged 
in that ever-memorable day. 

There was something of a similar preserving provi- 
dence extended to the company, which marched from 
this to Stillwater, N. Y. during the French war of 1755, 
under the command of Capt. William Kimball. All of 
whom returned again to their own homes in safety. 
The journal of Capt. K. during his service has been pre- 
served and is now in the hands of Jesse Kimball, Esq. 

11. There are in the East parish 121 houses ; 165 
families ; 131 married cou[)les ; 10 widowers ; oO wddows ; 
39 male and 71 female members of the Congregational 
church now in the parish. The whole number belong- 
ing to the church about loO. U Calvinistic Baptist pro- 



69 

fessors ; 9 Free-will Baptist professors ; 170 baptized per- 
sons not in full communion. About 500 persons under 
21 ; 10 above 80 ; and 850 in all. In the West parish 
there are 94 houses ; 97 married couples ; 8 widowers ; 
24 widows; 25 male and 35 female members of the Con- 
gregational church ; 12 Calvinistic Baptist professors ; 
15 Free-will Baptist professors ; about 450 under 21 
years ; 8 above 80 ; 800 in all. 

And now before I come to a final conclusion, I will 
take this opportunity to express my obligations to all, 
Avho have assisted me in collecting any of the facts con- 
tained in this discourse, particularly to the old, for the 
cheerfulness with which they have heard and answered 
my many inquiries. And I will further observe, how- 
ever highly I may have esteemed and respected them 
before, I have, from the intercourse, which the writing 
of this discourse has caused me to have with them, found 
abundant cause still more highly to esteem and respect 
them, especially when in addition to the wisdom which 
experience has taught them, their old age is found in the 
ways of righteousness. And I do believe, did the youth 
know what a fund of useful information they have, in- 
formation too, which can be found only with them, con- 
cerning the ways of God and the conduct of men in 
this town, and the interesting manner, in which many 
of them communicate this knowledge, their company 
would be sought for as that from which the greatest 
delight and pleasure were to be derived. 



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